AN ATHLETIC pupil has shown he is punching above his weight, after scoring a string of As – while training for a place on the Olympic boxing team.

Bicester Community College pupil Ben Kaluza proved he has both brains and brawn by getting two A*, eight As, two Bs and one C in his GCSEs.

Sixteen-year-old Ben, an amateur boxer, is hoping to represent England in the sport in the 2012 London Olympics, as well as start studying for his A Levels.

The fighter, who trains at Wolvercote, Oxford, and hopes to study medicine, said: “I was a little bit surprised to get so many As, but I had been working hard.

“It was quite difficult to fit it all in and I didn’t have much time for anything else. I would usually do my school work from 4-6pm and train from 8-10pm every day.”

Across Bicester pupils were left celebrating after both Bicester’s secondary schools reported their best ever GCSE results.

Cooper School saw its pass rate increase for the fifth consecutive year since headteacher Ben Baxter took over at the helm.

A total of 73 per cent of students got five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C. Overall, 98 per cent of pupils got five or more GCSEs.

Mr Baxter, head of Cooper, said: “These results are fantastic for the students, their parents and staff. Cooper School continues to go from strength to strength. It’s great testament to the students’ hard work, and all the initiatives we have in place to ensure that they are successful.”

Meanwhile, at Bicester Community College, 69 per cent got at least five grade A* to C, with 99 per cent achieving five or more GCSEs.

Principal Jason Clarke said: “The successes being enjoyed are the result of much hard work on the part of students and staff and are well deserved.”