Schools from across Surrey and Kingston celebrated strong GCSE results on Thursday, August 23, despite government reform to make exams tougher and a bewildering grading system.

Families had to get their heads around a new grading structure implemented this year, with grades awarded on a scale of 9, being the highest grade, to 1, the lowest.

The new grading system also features two pass marks, with 4 being a standard pass and 5 a strong pass.

Kingston Grammar School celebrated outstanding results, with a handful of students getting straight grade 9s and over half of all grades at the 9 to 8 level (the equivalent of an A*).

Nearly 85 percent of all grades at Kingston Grammar were 7 to 9 (A* and A).

In Surrey, Esher Church of England High School delivered solid results, with 71 percent of students achieving a good pass in english and maths and an overall pass rate of 68.6 percent.

Over in Kingston, 80 percent of Tolworth Girls’ School pupils achieved grades 9 to 4 in both their english and maths GCSEs, and 60 percent achieved a grade 5 or above in english and maths.

In New Malden, over a third of grades at Coombe Girls’ School were 7 to 9.

Over in Cobham, 52.3 percent of Notre Dame School pupils achieved a grade 7 to 9, which is twice the national average for girls. 99.4 percent of girls achieved a grade 4 or above.

At Hollyfield School in Surbiton, 80 percent of students achieved five grades 9 to 4 (A* to C).

At Hinchley Wood School in Esher, 48 percent of all grades were at 7 and above (A* to A).

At St George’s Weybridge, 50 percent of all papers were graded A*, and over 75 percent were graded A* to A.