The headteacher of a special needs school which failed to provide its pupils with their GCSE results, has admitted staff failed to pay the correct postage.

Staff from Carew Academy in Wallington had told parents the GCSE results would be released last Thursday but they never appeared.

Yesterday students received a note from Royal Mail, asking them to pay £1.11 to collect their results from a sorting office.

After receiving the card, David Giddings, whose son Ryan was awaiting his results, went to the sorting office to collect the letter.

Mr Giddings, a former postman from Wallington, said: "To be honest I think it is a good school, and it has improved a huge amount over the last year, but this has really thrown a spanner in the works.

"My son is autistic, and when he is told something is going to happen, he expects it to happen. 

"When it doesn’t he gets very anxious.

"He has been sitting by the front door all the time waiting for the results to come."

It is expected up to 27 pupils have been affected by the blunder.

Headteacher John Prior said: "We have made every effort to ensure that all of the GCSE students have now received their results.

"The school is very sorry for the delay which was caused by the incorrect postage being put on the envelopes, and are grateful to the Post Office for their help to resolve this issue.

"Our students have made excellent progress this year, as verified by a monitoring visit from the Department for Education on July 3.

"This year Carew Academy offered year 11 students the opportunity to undertake GCSEs in English and Maths for the first time in a number of years. 

"A good proportion of students entered for GCSE achieved their predicted grades in English and Maths, as well as Art, which is a great tribute to their efforts and all of those who have supported them over the year.

"All students have the necessary grades to enable them to take up their preferred college placements in September."