A SCHOOL is starting a landmark year on a high after it received a national award.

Ferryhill Business and Enterprise College got an outstanding achievement award from the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, just as the school prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

The award, presented to students this week, recognises it is in the top five per cent of schools in England for improving students’ GCSEs and follows record English results in January.

Headteacher Kevin Brennan said: “It is a real privilege to be nominated by the SSAT and is just reward for all of the hard work from staff and students over the last few years.

“The school is going from strength to strength at the moment, not only achieving excellent GCSE results, but also record student attendance.”

Head of English, Nicola Anderson, said 76 per cent of students have already achieved an A* to C grade, compared to 69 per cent nationally.

She added: “We are immensely proud of all our students as they have worked exceptionally hard again this year, with almost all groups attending extra lessons after school and some even at weekends and during holidays.”