Schools across Camden, Barnet and Haringey have celebrated some of their best ever GCSE results - bucking the national slump in grades.

The biggest fall in national GCSE pass rates in their 25 year history has been revealed today.

But local schools have outperformed the national picture with results showing many have improved on last year’s GCSE performance.

Henrietta Barnett, in Hampstead Garden Suburb, looks set to top the Ham&High’s results tables again this year with its best ever results.

The school’s A*-A grade pass rate is 94.7 per cent up from 91.8 per cent last year.

Some 13 pupils scored straight A* grades and 40 of the 92 students achieved nine or more A*s.

Acting headteacher Mandy Watts said: “The girls and staff worked extremely hard this year to ensure that the many changes affecting examination courses did not have an adverse impact on the girls’ achievement.

“It was a case of thorough preparation to give the girls confidence in the requirements of the exam courses, without creating an over-pressurised atmosphere.

“We are extremely proud of them, and very much look forward to seeing them develop further as they enter the sixth form.”

Based on results so far released University College School (UCS) in Hampstead is the best performing independent school in the Ham&High’s results table, achieving record success.

This year’s A*-A pass rate is 87 per cent, up from 80 per cent last year, and 18 pupils received nine or more A*s.

Headteacher Mark Beard said: “These excellent results are a clear demonstration of the hard work and determination of all pupils and teaching staff at UCS.

“Each is to be commended for their dedication and commitment to balancing the academic rigour of public examinations with the many artistic, creative and sporting pursuits on offer at UCS.”

UCS has just beaten Highgate School into top spot.

Highgate’s A*-A pass rate is 86.6 per cent this year, down from 91.3 per cent in 2012.

Nineteen pupils at the independent school got 11 A* grades and for the first time ever this year 25 pupils sat a GCSE in Mandarin, with 23 scoring A* grades.

Headteacher Adam Pettitt said: “I am so pleased for our Year 11 pupils and congratulate them on their fantastic results.

“I know the revision period will have been something of a slog, but I commend them on sustaining such a varied and vigorous life beyond exams, and hope and predict for them every success and fulfilment in the sixth form.”

King Alfred independent school in Golders Green celebrated beating last year’s results.

This year 92 per cent of students achieved five A*-C grades including maths and English, the government’s benchmark performance indicator, up from 89 per cent last year.

The school’s A*-A pass rate is 49 per cent this year.

King Alfred headteacher Dawn Moore said: “These are an excellent set of results richly deserved by our students who have worked hard this year.

“King Alfred School students achieve great success without excessive pressure and this enriches their overall enjoyment of learning.”

At Channing School in Highgate a record number of girls achieved a record number of GCSEs, as the independent school entered four forms for the first time with most taking 10 or 11 subjects.

The independent school’s A*-A pass rate is 85.2 per cent and star student Natasha Steeds bagged 12 A*s.

Channing headteacher Barbara Elliott said: “It may have been pouring with rain outside but there were no dark clouds at Channing this morning as girls arrived to collect some of the best GCSE results the school has ever seen.

“Anxious faces lit up with beaming smiles as girls took stock of their grades.

“Congratulations to everyone, including all our inspirational teachers.”

South Hampstead High School achieved an A*-A pass rate of 84.3 per cent this year and 21 per cent of the year group got 10 or more A*s.

Headteacher Helen Pike said: “It is a delight to see the girls enjoying their success.”

Pupils at North Bridge House independent school, which merged with Royal School Hampstead last year, managed the move from Gloucester Avenue in Primrose Hill to Rosslyn Hill in Hampstead with aplomb.

GCSE performance was slightly down on last year, with the A*-A pass rate falling from 46 to 44.4 per cent.

Headteacher Georgina Masefield said: “My congratulations go to all our pupils on their splendid performance and, on a personal note, I am so very proud of everyone.”

Camden School for Girls, in Kentish Town, achieved its best ever set of GCSE results with 80 per cent of students getting five A*-C grades including maths and English, up from 64 per cent last year.

Two students achieved straight A*s with another 16 getting all A* and A grades.

Headteacher Elizabeth Kitcatt said: “This is a fantastic set of results, the best ever at Camden School for Girls. “Our students have achieved these exceptional grades through extremely hard work, and as a result of the dedication and commitment of their teachers.

“They were also very well-supported by their parents.”

But it was again beaten in the results table by last year’s best performing Camden state school, La Sainte Union, which this year has 87 per cent of pupils achieving five A*-C grades including maths and English.

One set of twins at the school in Dartmouth achieved an incredible 23 A* or A grades between them.

Headteacher Maureen Williams said: “The school is delighted with another set of excellent results, with our girls achieving our best ever grades.

“Every individual is to be commended for her hard work and commitment to success, and my grateful appreciation goes to the staff who taught them and to the parents who give us such whole hearted support.

“Well done again!”

Haverstock School, whose former pupils include David and Ed Miliband, celebrated a return to form as 60 per cent of pupils acheived 5 A*-C grades including maths and English, up from 47 per cent last year.

Darren Luckhurst, deputy headteacher, said: “We are pleased with this set of results, first and foremost for our students and also pleased that they demonstrate we are on a continuing trajectory of increasing progress.

“They also demonstrate that last year’s set of results do not truly reflect Haverstock School and were a blip caused by constraints out of our direct control.”

There was also an increase in top grades at William Ellis School in Dartmouth Park

The school highlighted pupil’s success in maths and science, with a high proportion of A* and A grades in biology, chemistry and physics, although English results have dipped slightly.

Headteacher Sam White said: “My congratulations go to our students and my gratitude to the teachers and parents and carers who have supported them so well in their preparations for these examinations.”