Burgess Hill Girls are celebrating GCSE results and all nine grades: IN PICTURES

More than half of all entries were graded 9/8 and 72% of all entries graded 9-7. 57% of the cohort gained at least seven or more grades 9-7.

Star students included Anna Contreras, Isabella Evans and Alice Richardson, who were awarded a clean sweep of grade 9s and A* grades in the Higher Project Qualification, exploring the topics of the effects of sleep deprivation, the relationship between a country’s economic climate and its mortality rate and the impact of social media algorithms.

Bella Evans, said: "I ended up with 12 nines but honestly I didn't know if I was going to get those top grades because you never know how you have done - it feels different from the mocks. The school really helped during lockdowns because they listened to our feedback about online learning and tailored it accordingly. It was really tough to stay motivated when you are at home all day online but somehow I managed it."

A further 11 students gained 100% Grades 9-7, including Grace Bryan, Sam Elfick, Irina Geng, Carissia Li, Lucy Meyer, Rosina Murray and Maddie Pickering.

All pupils taking computer science were graded 8 or 9, challenging gender stereotypes. Computer Science is an increasingly popular subject at Burgess Hill Girls.

Assistant head academic, Rohaise Flint, said: “After decades of underrepresentation of women in engineering and computer science, more women than ever are studying in this field. Finding elegant solutions to the complex problems of a rapidly changing world requires greater representation and participation in engineering from all underrepresented groups, especially women.”

Burgess Hill Girls head, Liz Laybourn, said: “We believe in challenging everyone to be ambitious and achieve the highest grades of which they are capable. The last few years have seen significant disruption and challenges but our teachers have continued to work hard, going above and beyond, to ensure that each individual reaches their full potential. This year’s results prove that the Burgess Hill Girls experience adds significant value to each and every student. Not only have they achieved superb grades across a wide range of subjects, they have also taken full advantage of the amazing opportunities that the school provides on the sporting, creative and enterprise fronts.”