A bright pupil whose mother died less than two years ago has overcome the odds to get the top grades.

Rosie Walsh, 16, from Hertswood Academy has achieved top grades in her exams, getting three 9s (which equate to A**), six 8’s (A*s) and two 7s (As).

She is one of only 2,000 students in the country to receive three 9s, and has had to travel from Uxbridge to be able to study for her exams.

Rosie said: “I have been through a really rough couple of years, but this makes all the hard work worthwhile.

“It takes me an hour and a half to two hours to get in each morning, but I am definitely coming back here to study for my A levels in September.

“I love it here. If I had not have been here, I would not have done as well as I have if I had not been coming here for the last two years.

“I have a lot of people to thank for this. They are like family.

“The pain of losing someone does not go away, but getting these grades definitely makes up for all of the studying.

“I am going to celebrate by having a cup of tea.”

Rosie will go on to study maths, biology and psychology at Herstwood Academy for A Level, and thinks she may go into teaching, but is keeping her options open.