WINSFORD Academy celebrated another set of successful GCSE results on Thursday.

This year’s results have shown sustained improvement in academic performance, with notable achievements in a number of areas.

The attainment gap between students receiving free school meals and their peers has been more than halves and the performance of top ability students has improved significantly.

Principal Andrew Taylor-Edwards said: “These GCSE results, combined with a large increase in average points scores per student at A-level and record levels of attendance, and in the context of an increasingly demanding educational standard, the students, parents and staff who make the Acadmey what it is, have much to celebrate.”

Top performers include Kirsty Parker, from Winsford, who achieved 1 A*, 4As, 2Bs, 2Cs and two Merits.

She told the Guardian she was extremely nervous before opening her results but pleased with her results.

“I was surprised, I thought my grades were going to be lower,” she added.

The 16-year-old will go on to study Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Business at A-level.

Fellow high-flier Megan Clark, also from Winsford, achieved 6As, 5Bs and 3Cs and will go on to study Law, English Language, History and Photography.

The 16-year-old said: “I was nervous and stressed beforehand but I did better than I expected. I was prepared for the worst, just in case, but I’m proud of what I got.”

Other top achievers include Deane Burke, who secured 3A*s, 9As and 2Bs, Reiss Bratt, who scored 1A*, 5As, 7Bs and 2Cs, and Elliott Collins, who achieved 7As, 5Bs and 2Cs.