A TOTTENHAM school’s best ever GCSE results have given the area some “positive news” after the riots, the headteacher said.

Scores at Park View, in Langham Road, were up from 45 per cent to 53 per cent this year in the key category of pupils with five A* to C grades including English and maths.

Alex Atherton, the school’s headteacher, said: “We are absolutely delighted. It’s great, given the time that Tottenham’s had, to give the area some positive news.

“It’s ecstatic here today. It’s one of the best days of the year and this lot have worked very hard. There’s a lot of personal triumphs here – students with strings of As and A*s.”

Pupils at the school have been telling the Haringey Independent of their hard work, nerves and relief at finally picking up the results that will shape the next two years of their lives.

Dadir Sigad, 16, of Lordship Lane, who got one A*, two As, five Bs and four Cs, described the hard work he put in but said he still felt there was room for improvement.

He said: “This isn’t my potential. My potential is to get all As in every subject. I had some ups and downs throughout, just in terms of education and staying focussed.

“I would have almost 20 exams in two months it gets a bit hard and sometimes you just want to sit back and relax a bit.

“I came from a strict background so my mum and dad made sure I stayed focussed on my education. The hardest time for me was when I had about five exams in a week or two exams in one day.

“I would have times when I would have to compromise my sleep.”