RECORDS across West Somerset were smashed yet again yesterday (Thursday) when students picked up a bumper crop of GCSE results. An incredible 56 per cent of students at Minehead's West Somerset Community College achieved five or more GCSEs at grade C or higher - up three per cent on last year and the highest percentage ever achieved at the school. Some 98 per cent of pupils gained at least one GCSE at grade A* to G, 59 students achieved nine or more C grade passes or higher, while 17 per cent of all the grades achieved were A or higher. One student, Chloe Ingram, clocked up a phenomenal 11 A* grades and one A grade, while 15 of her fellow pupils also achieved eight or more A and A* grades. Among the high fliers were Rose Jones with nine A* and two A grades, and Lara Conner and Sara Price who each achieved 12 A and A* passes. Gemma Binding, Emma England, Gabriel Gainham, Jonathan Greenall, Emma Hoyland and Nicki Swann all achieved ten or 11 A and A* grades, while Josh Brown, Joanne Fuller, Jonathan Hobbs, Chloe O'Sullivan, Thomas Robbins and Benjamin Stewart each gained eight or nine passes at grade A and A*. In all, 124 A* grades were achieved by college pupils, up from 92 last year and triple the number just three years ago. It also represents the highest number of top passes ever gained at the college, something principal Nick Swann put down to stretching and challenging the most able students. He said all the results gained by pupils were a reflection of the hard work they had put in and the support they had received from both teachers and parents. He said: "We are all delighted that this year we have achieved the best set of results ever. "This reflects the hard work of our staff and students and parents who have supported them through their studies. "Many of these students have also contributed a great deal to college life beyond academic achievement in areas such as music, theatre performances, student leadership or sport." He said a large proportion of students would be continuing their studies at sixth form level and the college was looking forward to even more success at Advanced Level. Mr Swann added: "We will be analysing all the results very carefully to see where further improvement can be made in the future. "In the meantime, I hope that the many students who have done so very well feel good about their achievements and that their parents feel proud of them, we certainly do." Among some of the proudest pupils were a select group of 91 youngsters who took their GCSE maths exam a year early. Some 99 per cent achieved a grade A* to C, while 37 per cent gained either an A or A*. Nine students achieved A* passes. Mr Swann described the results as "phenomenal". Meanwhile, across at Kingsmead Community School, in Wiveliscombe, it was a similar success story with 58 per cent of pupils gaining at least five A* to C grades. Although the pass rate was slightly down on the previous year headteacher Geoff Tinker said the school was "absolutely delighted" with the results - 88 of which were A* passes. He said: "There are some truly outstanding individual performances which match anything achieved in previous years. "I am particularly proud of the results of a number of students who undertook a 'non-traditional' route through key stage four, which will help them in their future careers. "The results of these students actually affect our 'headline' figures in a negative way, but for these individuals the support and opportunities provided by the school has helped them map out a way forward as they enter adulthood." Among Kingsmead's top achievers were Alice Finlayson with 11 A* passes, Amanda Turner with nine A* and one A and Emma Latham with eight A*. Ben Norris achieved six A* and five A grades, Oliver Coad six A* and four A grades and Elizabeth Divers gained four A* and five A passes. Thomas Hawkesworth achieved four A* and six A passes, Gemma Symons four A* and four A grades, Duncan Francis four A* and two A passes and Rebecca Ngkane achieved three A* and four A passes. Mr Tinker congratulated all his students on their results, which he said were a tribute to the hard work put in by both students and staff.