A London sixth form that banned students from having mobile phones on school property has seen A-Level results skyrocket.
Almost 50% of the grades awarded to students at Excelsior Academy on Thursday were A* or A and half of pupils are now off to study at Russell Group universities.
Teachers at the Hackney school began confiscating smart phones from their 16 to 18-year-old students last year if they were seen using them.
The academy also introduced a smart new dress code, with teenagers required to wear business attire during lessons.
In 2024, Excelsior was among the most improved schools in the country when average A-Level grades went up from C to B following the introduction of the strict new rules.
Yamkeekha Begum, 18, from Hackney, was awarded As in psychology and biology and C in chemistry.
She will be heading to King's College London to read Biomedical Science.
“The mobile phone ban at the school ensured I did not get too distracted and really helped me stay on track with my studies,” she said.
“There are so many distractions on your phone like social media and so coming off it for a few hours really helped me.”
"The school has been so supportive. When I needed support with my studies they provided interventions.
“I really feel like they helped me get through when times were tough with revisions and classes.”
Deputy headteacher Shahfah Begum said: “The mobile phone ban has had an incredible impact on the results at this school.
“Students are more engaged both inside and outside of the classroom. They were less distracted so therefore concentrated on their studies.
“They were more friendly and chatty with staff and each other which made a huge difference to the atmosphere around the school.
Excelsior Academy serves one of the poorest areas in the country and nearly two thirds of students are eligible for free school meals.
Ms Begum added: “We do not believe background should be a barrier for success, every student at this school is given the platform to succeed.
“It is incredibly important to raise aspirations and show our students they can aspire top the very best universities in the country.”
Students in London have achieved the best A-Level results in the country with almost a third awarded top grades.
Some 32.1% were allocated A*- A classifications – a 0.8% rise compared to 2024.
Pupils across the city were celebrating their record results as the proportion of A-level entries awarded top grades rose again this year, remaining above pre-pandemic highs, national figures show.
