FOUR high fliers from Sidmouth College have achieved 40 A and A* GCSE grades between them. Izabela Wigier, 16, of Temple Street, Sidmouth, who left Poland three years ago, gained eight A* and three As.

FOUR high fliers from Sidmouth College have achieved 40 A and A* GCSE grades between them.

Izabela Wigier, 16, of Temple Street, Sidmouth, who left Poland three years ago, gained eight A* and three As.

Joshua Tyler, 16, from Orchardside, Sidbury, achieved eight As and one A*, Samuel Peka got seven As and two A* and Megan Booth gained six A* and five As.

Izabela said: "I took Polish GCSE last year and got an A*. I am absolutely delighted and surprised, I didn't know what to expect. I think my family will be really happy, all the hard work paid off."

She will take an International Baccalaureate at Exeter College and plans to become an architect.

Year 11 head, Judith Stephens, said: "Izabela is amazing, she has lapped up an English education and has been a superb member of the year, involved in everything."

Best friend Jessica Leeds, 16, of Woolbrook Road, was delighted with her five A* and six A grades and will stay at Sidmouth for A-levels in Chemistry, Biology, Art and Maths, and hopes to become a doctor.

Top boy, Joshua, said: "I was hoping to get these results, it is amazing, I can't take it in. I have done a lot of hard work."

He will study four A-levels at Exeter College and hopes to become a doctor.

Samuel Rosam, 16, said he would "party all night" after gaining six A's and an A* as well as two B and C grades, adding: "I really had no idea I'd done as well as I did."

Principal Jeremy Roberts said: "I am very proud of the achievement of our students and particularly impressed that many of them collect results that reflect the huge efforts they have made over five years at the college.

"Many have exceeded their targets and can look forward to either further study in the sixth form or to employment and training with successful results behind them.

"The most significant measure of success will be the progress figure based on a value added score that is yet to be calculated."

He praised teachers, including those who left last term, for supporting students and helping the college achieve a successful Ofsted inspection.

More than two thirds of student achieved five or more GCSEs at grade C or above - more than half in Maths and English.

With some vocational results still to come, the college expects to improve on its current figure of 98 percent getting at least five passes.