The Urswick School in Hackney has lots to celebrate today with students achieving the best GCSE results since new exam syllabuses and the new numerical grading system began being phased in two years ago.

Some 69 per cent of students achieved a grade 4 or above in GCSE English and 62pc in maths. The national average pass rate for English across the UK this year was 59.2pc (down 4.1pc) while maths was 58.8pc (down 1.6pc).

Richard Brown has been headteacher at the school for 12 years and thinks exams have become more challenging during his stewardship. He said: "These results are a huge credit to the students and their families - and to Urswick's team of teachers.

"Our mission statement is to believe and achieve [and] many of our children have overcome significant hurdles.

"We have always believed that they would be successful - these grades are a reflection of all their hard work."

One student who personifies the school's mission statement is Domingas Mendes Nandja Uare. She came to the UK unable to speak English. Despite the challenges of learning a new language and adapting to life in a new country Domingas achieved excellent results. She got 10 GCSE grades 9 to 5.

"Urswick has been an amazing journey," she said. "I learned to speak English as my fourth language and I have grown so much."

Somadina Egwuonwi got 8 GCSEs at grades 9 to 5. He said: "Hard work really pays off," and thanked his teachers for believing in him.

Another student, Matilde Gomes Ocante, also thanked her teachers and her school. She achieved 8 GCSE grade 9s and an A in AS Portugese. She said: "The exam period was a very stressful and challenging period for me and I am very proud to have achieved [my grades]."

This year is the first time Urswick school has entered students for GCSEs in Mandarin Chinese. It paid off: 94pc of students studying the subject achieved Grade 5 or above.

In the new numerical system 9 is the highest grade given. An 8 is equivalent to an A* and a 7 equals an A.