STUDENTS in Crow country bucked the national trend by posting improved GCSE results.

Though top grades fell for a second year in a row across the country when results were revealed on Thursday, schools in Royston and the surrounding villages saw an improvement in most subjects.

At Meridian School, Year 11 pupils improved on last year’s pass rate by six per cent. Sixty-nine per cent of students secured at least five A*-C grades, compared to 62 per cent in 2012.

The number of students receiving at least five A*-C grades, including maths and English, also rose, with 62 per cent getting the grades this year, compared to 56 per cent in 2012.

Notable successes include Nathan Coote, who earned two A*s, eight As and one B, India James with six As and five Bs, Nathan O’Looney with one A*, seven As and a B and Kyran Perhar with four A*s, three As and four Bs.

Headteacher Dr Michael Firth said: “Considerable credit is due to students, their parents and teachers for producing these results.

“To improve school performance by this margin against a national agenda of making exams tougher is impressive. They should be very proud.”

Bassingbourn Village College saw 69 per cent of its students achieve at least five A*-C grades, with 36 per cent of grades being A*-A overall.

Headteacher Duncan Cooper said: “I am delighted for all our Year 11 students and staff here. Their results are fabulous. I would like to wish them all the very best in their future studies and I am sure they will enjoy celebrating their GCSE successes.”

Exceptional students included Kirsty Jones, with 10 A*s, Sam Segameglio, eight A*s and two As, Abigail Morris, eight A*s and two As, Jenny Stott, seven A*s and three As, and Liam Traverse-Healy, seven A*s and three As.

At Melbourn Village College, the percentage of pupils getting at least five A*-C grades was 82 per cent. The school also saw a big rise in the number of students picking up five or more good grades including in core subjects. This number rose 11 per cent, from 60 to 71 per cent.

Freman College in Buntingford saw 89 per cent of students achieve five or more A* to C grades. Including English and maths, 70 per cent managed five or more grades of A* to C.

Reflecting on a set of results which saw 99 per cent of pupils achieve at least five GCSE passes, headteacher Helen Loughran said: “We are delighted with these results, the students should feel so proud of themselves.

“At a time when we know GCSEs are being made harder and top grades are becoming scarcer, they have matched the best results we have ever had.

“That is an amazing achievement by both the students and their teachers.”