Students and staff at Penryn College are celebrating the school's "best ever" GCSE results which have seen 58 per cent of the year 11 teenagers walking away with at least one A or A*.

The students are celebrating results which far outstripped every other year in total number of passes, number of A* and A grades and range of subjects. The 2016 year group proved that they are real all-rounders, gaining superb GCSE results on top of impressive personal, creative and sporting achievements.

Among those who are celebrating outstanding achievements is head girl Hannah Barlow who has notched up an impressive 12 A*s, along with one A and one B. She was was accompanied by her very proud parents Martin and Amanda and younger sister Molly, as she collected her results. Hannah has been offered an academic scholarship to Wellington School in Somerset where she will study for her A levels. Her ultimate aim is to become a forensic psychologist.

The college saw 31 per cent of the class of 2016 achieve three or more A or A*s; 22 per cent score five or more and 13 per cent, eight or more.

Head teacher Marie Hunter, said: "We are so proud of our young people, not only because they have studied hard and achieved their academic potential, but because they have also taken a lead in so many other ways. They are an inspirational year group, and brilliant role models for our younger students. I am sure we are applauding Cornwall’s leaders and Olympians of tomorrow! Why not?"

The college is delighted that students of all abilities, regardless of their starting point, have made really exceptional progress since year seven. Nearly three-quarters of the students made even more progress than expected by government standards. Progress and pass rates in English, maths and science have gone up – 83 per cent of students achieved A*- C in pass in English. Boys, too, are winners this year, beating last year’s boys with a 22 per cent increase in A-C passes. Over half of all students, 121 in total, gained at least one A* or A grade; 46 gained five or more A/A* grades, 14 of whom were awarded more than ten A*/As. Overall, more than 70 per cent of all students, including those with special needs, gained English and maths at grades C and above - continuing the upward trend in results.

Many of these high-achieving students, as well as coping with the pressures of preparing for GCSE exams, have demonstrated real commitment to other activities. Benno Marstaller, a junior member of the Great Britain sailing team scored 14 A/A*s; Mark Pearson, tennis coach for younger pupils achieved nine A*/As; Ben Sharp, captain of Cornwall’s Under 16 Rugby team, six A*/As; Tyde D’ Souza, Youth National Champion in MTB cycling, 11 A*/As.

Head boy Bertie Duncan achieved ten A*/As; Lilla Hall, has nine A*/As and is a performer in Cornwall Youth ensembles, playing five instruments; Amy Campbell, nine A*/As, is a publisher author and senior prefect who ran sports leadership programmes for younger pupils.

Other students deserving special mention are: Cameron Wilson (13 A*/As), Calvin Barker, Mia Fulcher, Megan Glover, Eve Miller (12 A*/As); Freya Dibble, Jack Lushington, Mhairi Macleod, Rosie Matthews, Hayden Stone (11 A*/As); Hannah Eggleton, Rebecca Grove, Emille Hopkins – all with ten A*/A grades or more. Every one of the eight young people in year 11 with Statements of Educational Need achieved at least six GCSE passes, including four with highly complex needs. Stand-out students who have made incredible amounts of progress since year six include Elke Diggle, Dan Peckand and Charlie Dixon-Phillip.

Henry Preston, chair of governors, said: "This is exactly what the college does superbly – producing well-rounded young adults who will go on to contribute to their communities – it makes the hard work of staff and governors so rewarding."