STUDENTS at Debden Park High School ensured that it achieved the best results in its nine-year history.

It has gone through tough times being put in 'special measures' and appearing in the Government's list of failing schools.

But results this year showed 100 per cent improvement on the previous year - way beyond the Government's National Challenge and the school's own targets.

Sixty-one per cent of students achieved five or more A* to C grades, with 42 per cent gaining five A* to C including English and Maths.

The results emphasise the improvements made under the headship of Christian Cavanagh who bought the school out of special measures.

He said: "The turnaround of the school has been absolutely fantastic and that shows in the results we have today, considering we were one of the National Challenge schools which are allegedly threatened with closure. But we’ve doubled our results from last year and this is now the foundation for the school to continue on to better things in the future."

Helping to push the school's figures up was Carly Woodgate, 16, who earned herself 11 A*s in all of her subjects, putting her in the top per cent in the country.

Tearful Carly, from Loughton, told the Guardian: "I'm feeling really good, really surprised. I can't believe it. I'm elated and shocked. I was really nervous this morning and couldn't sleep last night but I've worked really hard and I'm glad it paid off. I'm hoping to go to Trinity sixth form now to do A-Levels."