PUPILS and teachers at Tom Hood School are celebrating a major increase in the number of students scoring five A* to C grades including English and maths.

Last year, less than three in 10 pupils achieved five A* to C grades at GCSE, meaning the school, in Terling Close, was placed on the Government's National Challenge list.

Schools on the list are told they must improve or face closure but as excited students tore open their envelopes this morning (Thursday) it was all smiles at Tom Hood.

About four in 10 pupils achieved five A* to C grades, meaning an increase of 11 per cent, taking away the threat of closure.

Head girl Joyee Islam, 16, of Harrow Road, Leytonstone, said: “I got mostly As and A*s. It was pretty much what I was expecting.

“This year went really well. I've had lots of support from my teachers and I couldn't have done it without them.”

Joyee will go on to study biology, chemistry, maths and physics at A-level and hopes to go to university to study medicine.

Shaikhul Islam, 16, of Matcham Road, also hopes to study medicine after finshing his A-levels.

He said: “Revising was tough and so was time keeping but nothing's held me back at all.”

Classmate Farheen Patel, 16, of Forest Gate, added: “I was stressed out this year but it's been all right.

“It was worth all the revising.”

Tom Hood headteacher Candice Dwight said: “The important thing for us is we made the government benchmark.

“We are very happy today as a huge number of our pupils will be going on to college to do a wide range of subjects.”

Deputy head Mozam Parvez added that he felt the students had done exceptionally well as the school is in one of the most deprived areas in the borough.

He said: “To go from 29 per cent at A* to C to 40 per cent is one of the biggest improvements as far as National Challenge is concerned.”