Twins Charles and George Dodd are the cream of the crop at The Helena Romanes School in Dunmow after achieving top GCSE results.

Charles scored six A* grades and three As, while George achieved five A* grades, three As and a B.

There was a slight dip in this year’s overall results, with 57 per cent of pupils achieving five or more A* to C grades, including English and maths.

But, headteacher Simon Knight said: “We always expected this to be a challenging year and it has proved to be so.

“We were quietly optimistic, but the late changes imposed by the Government have had a detrimental impact on attainment.

“However, we are confident with the changes we have introduced we will see an improvement next year.

“I am proud of the efforts of our staff and our students who continue to demonstrate a positive approach to their studies.”