Pupils across Borehamwood and Elstree have been celebrating "excellent" GCSE results.
The proportion of GCSE UK entries awarded the top grades – at least a 7 or an A grade – surged to a record high (28.9 per cent) this year after results were determined by teachers amid cancelled exams due to the pandemic.
Students living locally were among those to receive a string of impressive marks.
Hertswood Academy hailed a "fantastic set of grades" from its year 11s, with 70 per cent of students achieving grades 9-4 in English, with 67 per cent in maths.
The Cowley Hill academy's top five students achieved 55 grades 9-7 between them, including Nyle Gosrani, Zak Pearlman, George Handyside-Lang, Luke Skutela, and Iasmina Cazacu.
Yavneh College head teacher Spencer Lewis described the GCSE grades at his school as "incredibly impressive".
Top-performing students included Jacob Greenfield, Benjamin Hirschfield, Hannah Adam, Ellie Fishman, Katie Saleh, Grace Steinberg, Noah Grose, Avi Hyman, and Yasmin Marco.
Jacob and Benjamin both achieved ten grade 9s, with the rest also securing a high number of grade 9s and 8s only.
Mr Lewis said: "Following a very difficult period of disruption to school life over the last 18 months, Yavneh College pupils have once again outdone themselves with an incredibly impressive set of GCSE results.
"These results are based on a rigorous set of school based assessments and tests providing each teacher with the information required to assign pupils their correct grades.
"I am so proud of each and every Yavneh College pupil for all their hard work and thank our wonderful staff for their dedication and professionalism which led to the pupils doing so well."
Elstree Screen Arts Academy says it is proud to report some "wonderful" exam achievements for its students, with GCSE and Level 2 outcomes improved for the fifth year in a row.
As a specialist educator in the creative arts, communication and technology, the academy says it is "especially delighted" to report that for the sixth year in a row, its outcomes continue to be "outstanding" in specialist subjects.
Shout-outs were given by the academy to GCSE pupils Loren Sloan, Theo Lawrence, Lucca Ndefo, Emma Griffiths, Cole Williams, Phillip Nogueira Cassidy, Taylor-Rae Owusu-Christie, Fleur Scozzafava, Amber Penn, Jack Smith, Emily Diosi, Deven Bhudia, Jack Wright, and Max Brophy.
Principal Chris Mitchell said: "Of course we are proud of the outcomes our students have achieved, but we are even more impressed by who they have become and who they have shown themselves to be. They have demonstrated commitment, confidence and creativity.
"We love them and congratulate them on being such impressive young people."
Head master at The Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School in Elstree was full of praise for his students, with the school reporting "excellent" results across all subjects.
Gus Lock said: "I am extremely proud of this cohort. They have demonstrated considerable resilience and character by meeting the challenges of this past year head on. These outstanding results are richly deserved and reflect an immense amount of determination and hard work by our exceptional students."
He added: "Warmest congratulations to this year group. These results, once again, show the breadth and depth of offering at Habs. I very much look forward to welcoming our students back in September to start their sixth form studies."
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