GIRLS at The Bradbourne School celebrated the school's best ever results, on its last ever GCSE results day before the Knole Academy is opened next month.

Four out of five pupils (80 per cent) recorded five grades between A* and C, up from last year's 64 per cent rate and in excess of the target 68 per cent.

In addition, the number achieving five 'good' GCSEs including mathematics and English was up from 48 per cent in 2009 to 59 per cent on Tuesday.

Acting head teacher Paul Derrick said: "There's no one thing we've done we can attribute this improvement to. But one thing we have done is install a very high expectation of the girls and we've left no stone unturned in trying to identify their strengths.

"All are very closely monitored and we have an exemplary mentoring system."

He said the 147 students were each encouraged to tailor their curriculum to match their strengths which enabled six Year 10 girls to achieve an A* in art or Spanish 12 months early.

Fifteen Year 10s passed maths at grade B and three Year 8s picked up a B in maths – three years early.

Emma Campbell and Ashleigh Freeman both achieved four A*s and seven As while also among the top achievers was Natasha Vaughan, with four As and six Bs.

She said: "I was hoping for mostly As so I'm very happy."

She is heading to Walthamstow Hall to study A levels alongside pal Constance Farahmand-Afshar, who grabbed four As, two Bs and six Cs despite being predicted mostly Cs and Ds.

While the girls hugged and cried tears of joy, the mood was more low-key at Wildernesse School where a third of students achieved the benchmark of five A*-C grades, including mathematics and English.

Top student Charlie Silvester, 16, picked up four As – in English language, art, mathematics and core science – plus seven Bs.

Charlie, from Chelsfield, is returning to the new Knole Academy in September to study business, ICT and finance at A-level.

Head of school Carol Morris said: "We are thrilled that so many boys have achieved such success."

She said the school was delighted to report ten per cent more students had reached the benchmark. A further 21 per cent achieved five A*-Cs overall, bringing that total to more than half the school's 106 students.

Among them was 16-year-old Renier Esterhuizen, who moved to Sevenoaks from South Africa two years ago and scooped three As, eight Bs and a C.

He said: "My predicted grades had been a bit lower so I've done even better than expected."

Matt Ellis, 16, from Kemsing, was awarded one A, three Bs and six Cs and is going on to take English literature, PE, public services, and law for A-level at Knole and hopes to go on to university.

He said: "I'm really pleased with my results on the whole, and I'm looking forward to sixth form."

Mrs Morris added: "We are pleased the school has helped to provide the boys with a firm foundation for the future, either at work or in further education.

"Improvements in the core subjects demonstrates the school's determination to ensure it exceeded the government and local authority targets."

All Year 11 students at Wildernesse also received a T-shirt, commemorating the school's closure.

Walthamstow Hall students also had reason to celebrate their results at GCSE and IGCSE (with 68 per cent of the grades awarded at A* and A.

Students passed on average ten subjects at grades A-C.

Four students – Alexandra Baddeley, Naomi Marshall, Heather Sandlin and Rowena Sharp – all gained 10 A*s.

Head teacher Mrs Jill Milner said: "I am so thrilled for all of our students. Their results are the well deserved ending to two years of dedicated hard work and excellent teaching. I am really looking forward to seeing what they will achieve when they begin sixth form in September."

A total of 103 pupils out of 141 exam students at Sevenoaks School gained nine or more A/A* grades.

Undermaster Mike Bolton said: "These really excellent IGCSE and GCSE results are a testimony to the hard work and aspirations of the year group.

"The fact that almost 90 per cent of the 141 candidates gained nine or more A* or A grades is a huge achievement.

"It means they can start the next two demanding years in the sixth form with considerable confidence."