A headteacher-led turnaround helped Harrow High School in Gayton Road, Harrow, to its best ever set of GCSE results.

The percentage of Year 11 students receiving five or more GCSEs at A* to C including English and maths was a historic high of 56 while a record 84 per cent took home five A* to Cs.

Headteacher Paul Gamble said: “We’ve worked really hard over the last four years to change the behaviour of the kids and the attitude to learning, and the staff have put in so much time and effort, and these results are proof of how far we have come.”

Lagasthija Vijayaratnam was one of the school’s top candidates with her nine A*s, two As and one B.

She said: “I worked very hard and found the support and help from teachers was invaluable in achieving this success.”

Fellow high flier Pubudu Wanni Arachchige impressed with seven A*s, three As, one B and one C. 

“The friendly environment and people at Harrow High School are amazing,” she said.

Abhishek Kavathekar, who was happy with four A*s, six As, one B and one C, said: “The quick feedback and help from my teachers if you feel you are struggling has been vital in me achieving my targets.”