Hundreds of pupils from across the greater Sittingbourne area received their GCSE results on Thursday. We found out how the town’s secondary schools fared...

Fulston Manor saw some “outstanding” individual GCSE performances.

A total of 205 Year 11 students took exams with 44% achieving five or more A* to C successes including English and maths.

The school said although the figure was 10% down on last year’s “record-breaking” pass rate, pupils had “much to be proud of when reflecting on their achievements”.

Head teacher Alan Brookes said: “With the increasing difficulty of GCSE examinations it is encouraging to see how well so many students have done.

“Although our percentage of A* to C has dipped this year, the growing turbulence within the examination system makes steady year-on-year improvement in all measures difficult to maintain.

“We are really pleased to have improved percentages of students achieving A*/A grades and also achieved a massive increase in students qualifying for the English Baccalaureate.”

Borden Grammar School students recorded a set of “very fine” GCSE results.

The school says performances were “particularly strong” in geography, history, statistics and PE - all subjects in which half the entries were graded at A* or A.

A total of 119 pupils sat exams, with 109 (92%) achieving five or more grades at A* to C including maths and English.

Of all grades, 36% were at A* to A with 14 students (12%) achieving 10 or more at these grades.

Twenty three youngsters (19%) scored at least eight A* and A grades amongst their tally.

This year’s top scholar was Sonny Murphy, who secured 10 grades at A* and one at A.

Other exceptional performers were Jagan Annamaraju (9A*, 2A) Paul Wheatley (7A* and 4 A), Thomas Chapman (7A* and 4A), Alexander Kent (6A* and 5A) and Divyansh Manocha (6A* and 5A) and Joseph Young (6A* and 4A).

Laurel Townend, deputy head teacher, said: “We are now looking forward to our students taking up their sixth form places, and building on their achievements at AS and A Level.

“Students have worked hard to achieve their results with lots of support and encouragement from their parents and teachers. We congratulate them on all their successes.”

Highsted Grammar School says its GCSE students performed “very well”.

Forty three youngsters achieved A to A* grades in eight subjects or more, while 100% scored five or more A* to C grades.

In total,123 Year 11 students sat an exam, with 30 members of Year 10 also achieving top grades in French a year early.

Deputy head teacher Jonathan Hopkins said the success was a credit “to the effort and commitment” of students and teachers.

He said: “The class of 2013 have much to be pleased about.

“We are tremendously proud of our girls and delighted with the results they achieved.

“The strength of the girls’ results will help to give them a real competitive edge in their futures.”

Westlands was another school announcing a record set of results.

Of its 269 Year 11 students, 172 (64%) achieved five A* to C grades in subjects including English and maths, a 5% improvement on last year.

A total of 264 pupils, 98% of the year group, managed at least five grades.

A school spokesman said “virtually all subjects made gains in comparison with 2012”, with the biggest improvements recorded in academic topics.

More than 80% of pupils made at least three levels of progress in maths and English.

There were also “huge improvements” in science, history, geography and modern foreign languages.

Simon Cox, head of school, said: “I am so pleased that we have capped off an outstanding year at Westlands with our best set of GCSE results ever.

“This Year 11 group had a lot to live up to, and although I expected them to do well, they really had to work hard to achieve such a fantastic set of results.”

Sittingbourne Community College reported a best-ever set of GCSE results.

Its maths department led the way with more than 60% of students gaining C grade or higher.

In total, 205 Year 11 pupils sat the exam, with 93 (44%) achieving five or more A* to C passes.

It said “similar improvements” were taking place in science and English as well as history and dance.

Jon Whitcombe, Swale Academies’ Trust principal, said he was delighted with GCSE and A-level scores.

He said: “Staff and students have worked extremely hard and responded very positively to the challenges that we have put before them.

“The students, in particular, deserve huge congratulations for how they have done and we look forward to seeing the vast majority of them in our sixth form in September.”