A ‘FIRST class’ centre for sixth formers to study in from next summer will help boost the ever improving A Level provision at a Marlow school, according to its deputy head.

Kevin Ford from Great Marlow School said he was delighted with the results achieved by the sixth form, which included the best ever performance in AS Levels for year 12s.

And with intake continuing to grow year on year, Mr Ford said the new block will lure more young people in to make the switch to study at the Bobmore Lane school.

He said: “The new sixth form centre will give first class facilities for all students who want to continue their studies here.

“We already have students that want to come here from elsewhere and have the highest number of students ever who started their A Levels this year.

"The hard work is paying off and it is a real ambition to grow this sixth form to best serve the community we live within.”

Pupils opening their envelopes this morning praised the teachers and support staff at Great Marlow, which has the pressure of sharing the town with the highly successful Sir William Borlase's Grammar School.

High achieving Great Marlow leaver Deanna Westfield even said she turned down a place at the nearby grammar school because she valued the relationships built up with the teaching staff at Great Marlow over the years.

Head of Sixth form Owen Hollyman said it was a mark of how far the school had come that he had been counselling a student disappointed with dropping down from an A* to an A.

A successful day saw most students walk away with their intended goals, with an overall pass rate of over 95 per cent and almost three quarters of Great Marlow students achieving A*- C grades, up 14 per cent.

With 230 year 12 and 13s enrolled this year, acting head Linton Nash has said new sixth form block will redevelop an underused part of the school in a project costing around £800,000.

Work is set to begin in the autumn term, with the current completion date set for next summer.