THE Times' territory is evidently fertile ground for producing some of the brightest students in the nation.No fewer than eight local youngsters have been notified by the Edexcel examination board that they finished among the top 10 in individual GCSE subjects in the country.

THE Times' territory is evidently fertile ground for producing some of the brightest students in the nation.

No fewer than eight local youngsters have been notified by the Edexcel examination board that they finished among the top 10 in individual GCSE subjects in the country.

One of the most astonishing statistics came from Neatherd High School, Dereham, where three 16-year-olds - Josh Town, Bridy Parsons, and Sophie Lupton - gained 100pc in art and design to finish in the top 10 of an examination which was entered by 36,294 students.

Another Neatherd pupil, 17-year-old Jess Crisp, was in the top 10 for history (out of 26,886 entrants), while across town at Northgate High School, Lois Braysher earned a similar accolade in Spanish (16,000).

In Reepham, 16-year-olds Emma Sparks and Oliver Barker were among the top 10 in fine art (9,763) and at Wells, Hannah Tuck achieved a similar feat in religious studies.

The Neatherd quartet are all now at Dereham Sixth Form College and understandably over the moon.

Josh said: “I initially thought it was in the top 10 in the county and then heard it was in the country. It was beyond words.”

Bridy said: “It is amazing and I did not think I had done that well at all.”

Jess, who got an overall mark of 95pc, said: “I was quite shocked when I heard - I found out in my first history lesson when I got to sixth form.”

Marion Johns, Neatherd's subject leader for art and design, said: “I have never heard of one school getting three students in the top 10 and it is amazing. They were a delight to teach. They were really mature and we moved to a different level with them.”

Jo Philpott, advanced skills history teacher, said: “As a class they were brilliant and out of 25 students, 17

got A* or A. Jess worked consistently throughout and the credit is completely hers.”

Lois, also now a student at Dereham Sixth Form College said: “I am stunned. When I did the exam I thought I'd got a C, but it turned out to be an A*.”

John Smith, headteacher at Northgate High School, said: “Lois has always been a fine ambassador for the school. She achieved outstanding GCSE results with A* or A grades in every subject. She thoroughly deserves this national recognition.”

Of Emma and Oliver's achievement, Reepham High School's head of art David Riggs said: “We are delighted that two of our pupils have done so well. Year-on-year the school produces artists whose talent never ceases to amaze me.”

Oliver, from Briston, is now at Fakenham College doing

A-levels while Emma, from Stibbard, is doing her As at City College Norwich.

Alderman Peel High School student Hannah not only finished in the top 10 in religious studies, but achieved a superb set of results overall, with 12.5 GCSEs at grade A or A*. In recognition of this, she will receive a special prize at the school's forthcoming awards assembly.

Headteacher Jon Platten said: “Hannah was a model student and fully deserves this recognition. To come in the top 10 nationally is a credit to her, her teachers and her family.”

Of the exceptional local results, Edexcel's managing director Jerry Jarvis said: “This is a tremendous achievement and testament to the hard work the students put into preparing for their exams.”