SUCCESS breeds success.

That is the message from outgoing head teacher at Kings’, Sue Lawrence, as the Winchester school posts its best GCSE haul yet.

The number of pupils achieving five A* to C grades, including maths and English, was 83 per cent – up from 77 per cent last year.

Mrs Lawrence, who is retiring after 20 years at the school, said: “We’re all just thrilled. It comes down to aspiration and the fact we have got really hard working staff and pupils who aim high and who want to achieve. They’ve worked hard and got their just desserts.”

Pupils gaining five A* to C grades in any subject stayed the same at 94 per cent, while the number of students getting five A* to G grades was a perfect 100 per cent.

Amongst a sea of impressive results, two pupils in particular stand out.

Amelia Wrigley, 16, and Rebecca Conway-Jones, also 16, both attained 11 A*s.

Amelia, who lives in the High Street, Winchester, said: “I’m so pleased and relieved. I’m thinking about maybe a future in journalism, or something m e d i a related.

“I just really love the language side of things.”

Rebecca, of Oliver’s Battery Road North, will now go on to study for A-levels at Peter Symonds College.

She said: “I’m going to do biology, chemistry, maths, English literature and Italian. I’m feeling confident about doing so many A-levels now that I’ve got these grades. I’m feeling pretty good. I haven’t quite taken it in yet.”

There was plenty more success elsewhere in the city with 83 per cent of pupils at The Westgate also gaining five A*-C grades with English and maths while 81 per cent of students at Henry Beaufort doing the same. Perins in nearby Alresford did even better, with 87 per cent.