An A-level student who planned to join a school near Ipswich for a single term to brush up on his English has just achieved straight A grades as head boy.

Dimas Valls Quiros joined the Royal Hospital School in Year 10, from Menorca, with the intention of staying for one term “just to improve English”.

From initial plans to join for three months, he went on to made head boy, achieve three A* and two A grades at A-level and secure his place at the University of Bristol to read engineering mathematics

An outstanding set of GCSE results led to Dimas choosing to further extend his stay at RHS to attend sixth form.

During his four years, he took part in the debating society, school sailing team and the gruelling Devizes to Westminster canoe marathon.

In his final year, he was made head of school in recognition of the example and leadership he exhibited among his peers and wider pupil body.

Dimas, who like so many students was unable to conclude his final year, said: “It has been a great shame not to have graduated in the normal way.

“My whole family had planned to come to the UK to see the final Speech Day Ceremonial Divisions and celebrate with my teachers and friends. But the situation is completely out of our hands.

“This has been difficult time for everyone, and uncertainty has been the main theme.

“We have had excellent support from the School and I do feel that A-level pupils have been provided with a good range of possible options to progress to the next stage of their education, despite not being able to sit examinations.

“I am indebted to the Royal Hospital School for providing me with so many opportunities and I want to thank all of my teachers, particularly my tutor, Mr Barker, who has been there for me throughout my time at the school.

“I sincerely hope that I have the chance to thank them personally later this year at a planned reunion and celebration for this year’s leavers.”

This year’s results day has been very different from previous years, with exams cancelled in May and June due to the coronavirus crisis.

Students had therefore been graded by their teachers – but there were fears many would be downgraded as part of exam regulator Ofqual’s plan to adjust grades so they were more in line with results from previous years.