THE hard work of Witton Park High School students has been praised during their annual prize winning event after the head teacher revealed that this year’s GCSE results were the best ever.

Head teacher Dean Logan said that the achievements of the students were even more impressive considering they were made during a time when “the government agenda is to make exams harder” and in a year when GCSE pass rates plummeted across the country.

Speaking to the students at Thursday night’s prize giving event in Ewood Park, Mr Logan said: “This year group should be proud of their achievements, having outperformed their counterparts nationally in both English and Maths GCSE. Nationally 64 per cent of students passed English, you achieved 71 per cent.

“In Maths the national pass rate was 57 per cent, you achieved 75 per cent “This demonstrates an excellent attitude to learning.”

“For your year group to improve on previous results whilst the government agenda is to make exams harder is impressive.

“I believe at the heart of these achievements is the mutual respect between staff and you, the students.

“The positive relationships and commitment to succeed from everyone is something we can all be proud of.”

List of winners.

100 per cent attendance: Zahra Ajmal, Zainulabedin Akuji, Talhah Bahadur, Chloe Gallagher, Hamzah Nawab, Dastageer Patel, Christian Talbot.

Special Awards Head teacher’s Award: Christian Talbot, Steven Anderton Prize: Isabelle Young Science Award: Christian Talbot Mathematics Award: Sabahat Imtiaz, English Award: Nazim Natha, BICT Award: John Hacking, Geography Award: Asad Hussain, History Award: Farooq Makda, RE Award: Fahima Waka MFL Award: Abby Lord, Expressive Arts Award: Natalie Davies, Technology Award: Sade Joseph, Physical Education Award: Connor Mahoney