Walworth Academy principal Yvonne Powell told the News her school achieved a Progress 8 result of 0.4. This means that on average the school’s pupils beat their predicted grades by nearly half a grade in every subject.
And she confirmed that 60 per cent of all pupils achieved an A*-C or (9-4 for Maths and English) in at least five subjects.
Eight students achieved grade 9 in English and seven students got a 9 in Maths. Twelve students achieved grade 8 in English Literature or Language, and nine students got grade 9 in Maths. 22 per cent of all grades were an A or A* or grade 8 or 9.
Jack Burt, from Southampton Way in Camberwell had 9s in Maths and English Language, and A*s in Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Spanish, with an A in History and a 7 in English Literature.
Jack told the News: “I’m going to stay on at Walworth Academy and do A-levels in Biology, Maths and Physics. I was expecting to do well in all of them. The only one I’m not too sure about is English Literature.”
Asked if it all felt worth it in the end, Jack replied, “of course it does. You get out what you put in to get results like these, I’m really happy. I think I’ve always worked hard. To celebrate I’m going to get some pizza at Domino’s.”
Bermondsey boy Ayuub Hers “turned himself around” after almost being excluded for bad behaviour in Year 8. The young man said he was expecting to fail many of his subjects, but got a host of B grades.
“I feel like I really outdid myself, because I was almost kicked out, and I used to get majority Es and Ds. Now I’m getting Bs and I can go and do my A-levels,” Ayuub said.
“It’s a good thing, and I can see how it’s paid off. I’m most proud of my English result. I didn’t expect to pass English because I never liked it, and with Maths, because of the new grades I was expecting to fail, but I was doing good in the old papers, but with the new papers I was struggling a lot.
“I’m going to stay here. It’s like a family and we have a great head teacher who told me I could do better, and I like the staff because they’re much more friendly.”
Read more: GCSE results day 2017: the new 9-1 grading structure explained
Ishmail Al-Rashid from Surrey Quays was chuffed with his six A*s, a grade 9 and two grade 8s.
“This is definitely above what I was predicted,” he said. “I was so anxious with the new tests and how they would work. But it looks like it has turned out okay.
“I 100 per cent want to go to university. For my A-levels I’m going to take Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Further Maths. I have a uni in mind, I want to go to Imperial College London.
“Seeing my results, I should have revised more because I got two grade 8s and not two 9s.”
Ishmail said he felt particularly inspired by a teacher who “he was known for years”, Ms Ali, who “helped him a lot” with his English.