Jake Collins and Amy Elston, both 16, passed their GCSE maths exams with a grade 4 – equivalent to a C on the old grading system – alongside 17-year-old Peter Bedingham who received a grade 6, the equivalent of a B. The three students at LVS Hassocks, a school for young people aged 11 to 19 on the autism spectrum, were all celebrating success in the exams at the first time of asking having sat them in November. Jake, Amy and Peter will all sit further GCSEs in the summer but this success will not only boost their confidence but allow them to focus more on fewer subjects with their maths results already safely achieved. LVS Hassocks head of school Jen Weeks said: “We are delighted with the exam results for our students who sat the November entries for their maths GCSEs, and are very proud of their achievements. “Using various methods to support our students ranging from small class sizes to personalised teaching approaches, we prepare them individually for all aspects of sitting an exam.” Giving students with autism the confidence to sit exams can be a challenge, with many suffering from high anxiety and exams being a stressful time for any student, making the results even more noteworthy. The school’s approach that includes individual calming strategies and a wide range of therapist support available on site has paid dividends with a succession of strong exam results. In 2019 a student achieved a grade 7 (equivalent of an A) in English Literature whilst another gained passes that earned him a place back in mainstream education studying aeronautical engineering. In 2017 the school celebrated its best GCSE results with 56 per cent of papers graded A*- C.