An impressive 79.5 per cent of pupils gained at least five A* to C passes – the highest in the borough by six per cent.

The number achieving at least five top grades including English and maths rose to 71 per cent – two per cent up on last year.

And the future looks even brighter for the school, in Nicholas Avenue, with a new £22m building set to open on the site next summer.

Headteacher Paula Williams said: "We have had another record-breaking set of results.

"Results for pupils of all abilities were excellent, and my thanks go to the staff for their tremendous hard work."

Andrew Corner was flying high with 10 A*s, an A, one B and a C in French.

The 16-year-old, from Cleadon, is now going to sixth form at St Aidan's RC School in Sunderland to study A-levels in maths, further maths, economics and either physics or history.

He said: "The exams were that long ago I'd convinced myself I'd done worse than I thought. I had no idea how I'd done, so I'm very happy."

Lydia Evans, 16, from Cleadon, picked up four A*s, seven As and one B, and is going to the Royal Grammar School in Newcastle to do A-levels in the sciences and maths.

She said: "I was very surprised, but really chuffed with my grades. My family are thrilled to bits for me."

Jill Croft is off to South Tyneside College to study biology, chemistry, physics and maths A-levels after gaining three A*s, seven As, one B and a C in French.

The 16-year-old, from Cleadon, said: "I'm hoping to go to university after that.

"I'm completely ecstatic. My mam came with me to pick up my results, and she was speechless."

Deputy headteacher Joyce Gibson said pupils made every use of revision classes and extra lessons, and were "a very focused year group".

She added: "We have some amazing results this year, not just for those who have As across the board, but for those less-able pupils who have absolutely produced results you would never have believed. It's extremely gratifying."

* See tonight's Gazette for a full list of Whitburn's GCSE results.