Devizes School headteacher Malcolm Irons was pleased with the performance of GCSE and A-level pupils last year.

While attainment was down in GCSEs, the school had some of its best ever results in A-levels.

A total of 50 per cent of pupils achieved five or more A*- C grades including English and maths in GCSES, down from 61 per cent the previous year.

As a result the school’s ranking in the county is 29. Mr Irons said the drop was due to a “significantly less able cohort on entry in Year 7.”

For A-levels its ranking in the county is 15, based on the average point score per entry, which was 221. For vocational exams the average points score was 237.

Mr Irons said: “We are very pleased and proud of another set of very good, and in some cases record breaking, results.

"Last year’s A-level results were some of our best ever. The hardworking sixth form students and the teaching staff are to be congratulated for their continuing post-16 success.

“In the GCSEs, against the backdrop of increasingly tight marking regimes in English, maths and science papers nationally, we are delighted that so many of our students gained the grades they deserve and were predicted.

"Positive value-added for the vast majority of our students is reward for their hard work and commitment to their studies.”