Overjoyed teenagers punched the air with delight as two years of sweat and toil reaped top GCSE results.

Cheers - Greensward College pupils Sarah Watson, Katie Milner, Rachael Stride, David Yellon and Matthew Austin Picture: DAVE HENDERSON

Students were cock-a-hoop as they collected their results allowing them to go on to study for A-levels or take their first steps into employment.

Nationally, the A* to G-grade pass rate for traditional academic GCSEs stalled at 97.6 per cent, but the overall success score dropped to 97.5 per cent when new job-related courses were taken into account.

Staff at Beuchamps School, Wickford, were thrilled as 68.5 per cent of students achieved at least five A*-C passes.

Bob Hodges, deputy headteacher, said: "It is another set of excellent results for Beauchamps. "It shows that our individual tracking, mentoring and support of students underpins the hard work of the students and the teachers."

Youngsters at Greensward College, Hockley, were among those celebrating after finding out their results early this morning.

Around 84 per cent of pupils at the school scored grades between A* and C in at least five GCSEs while 100 per cent gained at least five results between A* and G.

Vice principal Mike O'Sullivan said: "We are particularly delighted with the number of pupils who got results between A* and C, which we believe to be among the highest of any comprehensive school in the country."

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Published Thursday August 26, 2004