A BLIND student beat the odds and achieved GCSE success - after her teachers delivered lessons over the phone during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Home learning created difficulties for most pupils during the pandemic, but Louisha Dutton had the added challenge of being visually impaired.

While other students were taking part in virtual lessons via Zoom, Louisha had to find a different way of learning.

She praised her teachers at Dorothy Stringer High School after they conducted classes over the phone.

“Being blind, it’s been hard as I couldn’t join in with the virtual lessons at all,” she said.

“But I had some amazing support. My teachers would ring me up and did lessons over the phone, so thanks to them for putting in so much effort.”

Louisha said she was “pleasantly surprised” with her results on GCSE results day.

She was especially pleased with a grade 7 in English Language and Food Technology.

“I’m just pleased I don’t have to do maths anymore," she joked.

Louisha is due to go onto Varndean College to study psychology and social care.

Dorothy Stringer headteacher Matt Hillier said all students have coped with “huge disruption” to their learning, and the uncertainty over whether examinations would take place.

“However, they have shown resilience and managed with the ever changing decision making from central government,” he said.

“Most importantly, we are confident that they are fully prepared for the next stage of their education.”

Results at Stringer were up on 2019 results, with 91 per cent of students achieving a grade 4 or better in England and 81 per cent in maths.

Dylan Caddick and Eva Kurschinski-Chavarri both achieved an average of over 3.5 grades per subject above their national expectations.

Alice Ward was the school's top performer – she achieved an A in FSMQ Additional Maths (A-Level 3 qualification), while Eve Sharma and Sam Patterson both achieved 10 GCSEs at grade 9.

Across the UK, the proportion of GCSE entries awarded top grades hit an all-time high after exams were cancelled for the second year in a row due to Covid-19.

Pupils' results were determined by their teachers and were only assessed on what they have been taught during the pandemic.