A 14-year-old girl who achieved a grade 9 in GCSE French after taking the exam two years early is celebrating her result with other older pupils at Portsmouth Grammar School.

Marie, from Southsea – whose mother is French, said that she had to work hard on the writing element of the test.

She said: “I’m really happy, I’m proud of my result because I put a lot of work into it. I put a lot of effort into the writing as the reading and speaking came more naturally to me.”

Sawsene Belaiche, 16, from Portsmouth, achieved 10 grade 9s and an A in additional maths and hopes eventually to go to Cambridge University to study chemical engineering after her A-levels.

She said: “I’m really happy, I worked really hard for it and it paid off, I couldn’t be happier.”

She added: “I always strive to do the best I can.”

Anna Heseltine, who achieved 10 grade 9s and one grade 7, said: “I feel good as I have worked hard for it.”

The 16-year-old said that she would go on to study English literature, maths and German at A-level.

Harry Dixon, 16, from Portsmouth, achieved eight grade 9s and two grade 8s as well as an A in additional maths and will go on to study biology, chemistry, maths and music at A-level.

He said: “I’m really pleased and thought I was going to do alright. I put a lot of effort into the mocks which meant I was less nervous.”

James Wilkinson, 16, from Arundel, West Sussex, achieved nine grade 9s and one grade 8 and will go on to study physics, chemistry, maths and further maths.

He said: “I am overall quite pleased but slightly disappointed with my English result, but I have to move forward.

“I put a lot of work into the exams, substantially more than the mocks as I felt I could level up my game.”