WOODFORD Lodge has more reason to celebrate than most - with a pass rate increase of over 50 per cent on last year.

Almost 30 per cent of GCSE students achieved five or more A* to C grades with an impressive 17 students gaining 10 or more.

Delighted headteacher Steve Meeks said: "Following hot on the heels of the school's very successful OFSTED inspection earlier in the year, this is further confirmation that Woodford Lodge is a school enjoying building on success.

"I am particularly pleased that our students' achievements are across the board with a outstanding 97 per cent of students achieving five or more passes."

Woodford's outstanding performers were Sarah Bowyer, who plans to continue her studies in the school's sixth form, with eight A*s and three As.

She was closely followed by Corey Haywood with three A*s, seven As and one B.

Lauren Sharkey, Emma Lever and Gerald Telfer were all celebrating 10 or more passes at grade B or above.

Lesley Boyer, head of sixth form at Woodford Lodge, said: "I am absolutely delighted to have so many talented students entering the sixth form and am confident that we will enable them to achieve equally brilliantly in two years time."

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.