TODAY is GCSE results day, and crowds of young adults across the Vale are picking up their marks.

In St Cyres School, the excitement is infectious.

Headteacher Dr Jonathan Hicks said: ‘This week our Year 11 pupils have once again achieved record-breaking results in their GCSEs.

"Our Capped Nine points score, which is used as the main benchmark of achievement in Wales this year, has risen from 353 last year to 361 this year. This is very pleasing and represents the highest figure in the school’s history.

"In addition, 18 per cent of our pupils achieved five or more A* to A grades - again the highest-ever figure for the school.

"I should like to pass on my warmest congratulations to all of our pupils and to publicly thank our tremendously committed and skilled staff for all their hard work this year.

"These two wonderful sets of results, plus our recent excellent Key Stage 3 results, all show that St Cyres School is providing an excellent education for local children. We are proud to serve the local community in our superb building and grounds, and will be endeavouring to achieve even greater success in 2020."

Isaac Chrysostom earned seven A*s, two As and a distinction in additional maths. "I did much better than I thought I would," he beamed.

Bianca Zertini said: "I did so well, I'm so proud of myself!" She earned six A*s, three As and a distinction.

Lisa Grosshans earned five A*a, four As and a distinction. "Yeah I'm really happy with how it went, though it took me a few seconds to work out how to read the results. Then it was just relief!"

Jacob Rees earned seven A*s and three As. He said: "I did amazingly well! Almost all A*s with two or three As. I'm absolutely blown away."

Stephanie Jackson earned 10 A*s, with an additional two from last year. She said: I got all A*s! I'm very happy and proud. To be honest the hard work hard was so long ago I can barely remember it - but I know I've earned it. I'll be looking into engineering or physics at uni after sixth form."

The excellent results and upbeat mood were mirrored at Stanwell School, where students were lining up to register for sixth form minutes after discovering their results.

Stanwell's deputy headteacher Mark Lewis said: "Just like last week, we're extremely proud of our students and their results.

"39 per cent of our pupils achieved five grades at A or higher, which is an outstanding achievement. 25 per cent got 10 A* to A grades.

"Under the new measures, our Capped Nine Points score shows we have an average of 414 points across nine subjects per pupil - so the average grades are all roughly Bs.

"We are very pleased. Again, there has been lots of change recently - new subjects are introduced and measures are changing all the time, but we are keeping on top and looking to move forward from here.

"We've already had very encouraging results from Year 10 today."

Rhys Knapper earned 11 A*s. He said: "I worked very hard and I'm very proud. I'll be going to sixth form after this - and maybe medical school after, though I'm not sure just yet."

Anton Rogan has 11 A*s and two distinctions.

"I'm also very happy," he said. "Of course, my first take drew my eyes to the less good results, but overall I saw I had what I wanted for my A levels. Sixth probably going inti the sciences after this.

Megan Webber earned 13A*s, and two As.

"I was shocked at first," she said. "But there was a wave of relief afterwards. It was just overwhelming. I'm so happy.

Ellis Selman has eight A*s and four As. "I'm very pleased - but at first I was just relieved," he said.

"I've been working really hard. It's good to know it paid off. I'll definitely be coming back to sixth form here."

Ella Radford earned an incredible 15 A*s. "Its just amazing. I couldn't believe it," she said. "I tried to work really hard, and now I'm hoping to stay in sixth form."

Imogen Williams received 11 A*s and As. "I'm very excited," she said. "But I'm also just relieved to have the results! It was very hard work."