The headteacher of Hitchin Boys’ School has championed the efforts of students who overcame challenging personal circumstances to achieve ‘excellent A-level results’.

It has been a year of celebration at the Hitchin school, which achieved an outstanding Ofsted rating in February, but head Martin Brown believes the set of results have topped the lot.

“We are thrilled with the outstanding success of our students in their A-levels, particularly in the STEM subjects of maths and science,” he said.

“We are also pleased to see so many of our students achieving their first choice places at a wide range of universities.

“We are of course delighted for all the boys who have achieved well, but in particular feel we should single out some of our students who were able to overcome really challenging personal circumstances to achieve excellent results.

“This was partly due to the support and guidance given to them by the school, and due to their hard work – so well done to them.

“Joe Abbott, Calum Buchanan, Daniel Cowell, Harry Cruttenden, Christian de Trafford, Ketan Gahir, Matthew Livesey, Will McAllister, Oliver Pitts, George Thornton and Joe Weeks are all confirmed as having achieved at least three A-levels with top grades and there are more results yet to come in.

“In addition we should congratulate the huge number of boys who achieved three A-levels at A/A* in subjects including maths, chemistry, physics, biology, geography, history, English, psychology, art, religious studies and sport studies.

“These results demonstrate that the school is continuing to provide an outstanding quality education to students in Hitchin and the wider area and more importantly that students feel challenged and supported to achieve their very best.”

The overall pass rate was not available.