Teenagers celebrate GCSE success - PICTURES

For most, the day was one of happiness with students ripping open their results to see the years of hard work had paid off.

And most of the high schools in Worthing reported meteoric rises in their pass rates.

Standards were up again for Worthing High in South Farm Road, with 55 per cent of students getting A* to C. Boys and girls results were also very similar.

Alison Beer, the head teacher, said: "The results are not unexpected following a significant amount of work put in by staff to address student progress."

Record-breaking results were celebrated at Our Lady of Sion School in Gratwicke Road '” every single student achieved at least seven or more results at grades A* to C. Half the students also got grades in the A* to A range. The pass rate for A* to C grades was 97.2

Durrington High School in The Boulevard achieved the best results in a decade.

Results have increased every year since 2002 and this year 52 per cent of the year 11 achieved five or more higher grade passes.

Sue Marooney, the head teacher, said: "These results represent the culmination of tremendous work by students, parents and school staff over recent years."

At Davison, there was a six per cent improvement in the five A* to C grades from last year, taking it up to 71 per cent. 97 per cent got at least five A* to Gs

Della West, the head teacher, said: "It has been a pleasure to see so many happy Year 11 students in school today to collect their very well deserved results.

"The screaming, crying and hugging went on for two or more hours as the girls saw their grades and compared them with their friends."

Students at of Chatsmore Catholic High School celebrated the school's highest ever GCSE results, with 63.3 per cent of students getting A* to C in the exams.

Students excellent results included Charles Bowen, with nine A s and a B, and Hannah Gajlewicz, who gained eight As and two Bs.

At St Andrew's, 99 per cent of students passed at least five GCSEs, with well over half at grades A* to C. Ben Baker got ten A*s and one As. Tom Davies scored one of the top five marks in GCSE English Literature in the whole country.

Davison

Sarah Hodgson was shaking with nerves as she opened her GCSE results '” but there was no reason to be as she got one A, four Bs and five Cs. Sarah said: "I did better than I expected I would and I was very nervous." Sarah is going to Worthing College to do A-levels in philosophy, psuchology, performance studies and English language.

Lucy James was awarded two Bs and five Cs and is going to BHASVIC in Brighton to do A-levels in geography, English literature and language, media studies and textiles. She said: "I am very pleased."

Helen Manley did better than she expected with one A, two Bs and five Cs. She plans on going to Worthing College to study public services and then hopes to join the Police Force. She said: "I am relieved it is all over."

Our Lady of Sion

Miriam Longmore was awarded 11A*s and even got an A in A-level German. Miriam said: "I feel relieved and very pleased. I didn't think I would do as well as I did, but I worked very hard and my parents and the school really supported me." She was also among a select group of candidates nationally who scored one of the top five marks in the GCSE AQA English Literature exam.

Lewis Raiman looks set to keep up family tradition by becoming a doctor after achieving five A*s and five As. He will stay on to do A-levels at the school in three sciences, maths and PE, before going to medical school. Lewis, who took a GCSE a year early, said: "I am a little shocked. My father and grandfather areboth doctors and I would like to follow the tradition."

Michael Raes was awarded one A*, six As and two Bs and will be staying on at the college to study A-levels. He said: "I didn't expect to get an A* in French."

Emma Grimwood got seven A*s and three As. She also took a GCSE a year early. She will be staying on at the school to A-levels in classical civilisations, history, English and French.

Stephanie Quinn was delighted with eight A*s and two As. She said: "I am a little shocked." She will also be staying on at the school to do A-levels.

Worthing High

Nabil Chowdhury was amazed with his results '” five A*s, four As and two Bs. He said: "These are the results I was hoping for." Nabil is going to Worthing college to do A-levels.

Friends Laura McKeown and Izzy Dingwall couldn't contain their happiness. Laura was awarded two As, four Bs, three Cs and two Ds. She said: "I am pleased I passed maths." Izzy for one A, four Bs, four Cs and one D. Both girls are off to Worthing College to do A-levels.

Shreiks of joy could also be heard in the direction of Alex James, Deni Kirkova, Amy Lednor and Keeley Adsett. Alex got three Bs, five Cs and two Ds; Deni was delighted with two A*s, two As, six Bs and one C; Keeley got two Bs and five Cs; and Amy got two Bs, two Cs and three Ds.

Deni said: "Our nerves have been building up to this day. We are all really pleased."

Lucy White was one of the top scorers. She got four A*s, five As and one B. She is going to Worthing College to study chemistry, biology, psychology and maths and after that would like to do a degree in neuroscience.

Emma Farnes from Tarring took an impressive 12 GCSEs, studying for the extra subjects after school. She got one A, four Bs, six Cs and one D. She will move on to Brinsbury College near Pulborough to take a BTEC in veterinary science.

St Andrews

Beaming Matt Gates, 16, from Shoreham, got eight A*s and three As. He is going to BHASVIC.

Daniel Riggs, 16, from Shoreham swept the boards with an impressive ten As and one A*. He said: "I had hoped I would get something along those lines, but you can never be too sure, I'm very pleased."

His friend, Mark Strong, got ten top grades, He got six A*s and four As. He is also going to BHASVIC to take geography, history, photography and maths.

Durrington High

Star pupil Robert Pennifold, 16, was one of the top three performers at the school. He got six A*s and four As. He plans to study AS levels at Worthing College in further maths, physics, chemistry and psychology.

Cyril Johny's achievement was extra special having only arrived in Britain from India this January. The 16-year-old, who now lives in Worthing, said he was very pleased with his success. He got one A, one B and five Cs. He plans to study AS levels in physics, chemistry and maths at Worthing College.

See photos of local A-level students celebrating their results HERE