Paul Jefferys, a sixth-former at the fee-paying Berkhamsted Collegiate school in Hertfordshire, averaged 95% across 10 A-levels, with 100% in general studies. The previous record was eight A grades.
His 10 — as many as a bright student would collect at GCSE — range from history and Latin to physics and chemistry and have won him a place to study maths at Trinity College, Cambridge.
With debate raging about A-level standards, Jefferys admitted some were too easy, notably general studies. He got “bored” during his final paper and cut short an essay but still got 100%.
That is not, however, to underestimate his achievement built around an intuitive grasp of mathematics. He gave up maths lessons at the age of 12 and read textbooks in the library when teachers accepted he could do as well on his own.
“At A-level I only went to lessons in Latin, chemistry, history and religious studies,” he said. “Teachers gave me past papers in maths, economics and physics.”
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His parents spotted his talent when he was four. His father Rick said: “He wanted me to listen to his two times table. He went on until he got to the 13 times table.
“We’ve never been pushy and were pleased when Berkhamsted put him with children of his own age.”
During his A-level studies he competed in the British Maths Olympiad team, winning a gold medal for his 29th world place.
Jefferys scored 579 out of 600 in further maths and 561 in maths. Other results were: general studies, 600; chemistry, 590; Latin, 578; religious studies, 573; economics, 566; physics, 564; history, 542; statistics, 525. The minimum required for an A-grade is 480 out of 600. He achieved 100% in 25 of his 60 papers.
Jefferys admits: “I feel guilty that I don’t have to work as hard as others but come out with better grades.”
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He is on the school’s Eton fives team, plays the saxophone in its swing band, goes on cycling holidays and likes discos. He has completed the Duke of Edinburgh’s award.
His father is an oil company energy analyst and studied engineering at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. His east African Asian mother is a GP and studied at Oxford and Newcastle universities.
Now Jefferys plans to teach AS-level maths to his sister Clare, who wants to go to medical school. Jefferys is unsure about a career: “I haven’t got the temperament to do research. You can earn large sums in the City, but I’m not sure I want eight figures in my bank.
“I want interesting problems to solve. There is an innate beauty in maths.”