STUDENTS from across Newport and Torfaen celebrated their hard work paying off as they collected their GCSE results yesterday.

While schools across the area were filled with smiling faces, Wales-wide results for all students have fallen since 2016, according to Qualifications Wales (QW).

The proportion achieving A* remained unchanged at 6.8 per cent, while A* - A grades saw a 1.5 per cent drop to 17.9 per cent and A* - C was 62.8 per cent - a drop of 3.8 per cent.

Exam regulator QW stated a “significant factor” in this fall is the change in entry patterns - which include an increase in year 10s, or younger students, sitting exams early and year 11s achieving their maths qualifications in November.

The number of qualifications awarded to students who are 15 and younger is also up this year by 57 per cent.

However, regulator QW added that it was “not possible to draw reliable conclusions” from directly comparing 2016 and 2017 data for the above reasons.

Year 11s' performance in six reformed GCSEs - English Language, English Literature, Welsh Language, Welsh Literature, Mathematics-Numeracy and Mathematics - was noted as either improved or remaining stable.

Newport City Council (NCC) said provisional regional GCSE results indicate that 54.7 per cent of pupils gained the level two threshold, meaning they achieved at least five GCSEs A*- C, including English/Welsh first language and mathematics.

The figures also show the percentage of pupils gaining at least five GCSEs A*/A is 15.6 per cent and that 61.5 per cent got an A* - C in English language. The percentage of pupils gaining GCSE mathematics A* - C is also 56.9 per cent.

A NCC spokeswoman said: “This year we are unable to meaningfully compare regional or local authority results to previous years as the revised examinations focus in part on different skill sets and knowledge than in previous years.”

NCC's cabinet member for education and skills, cllr Gail Giles, praised the work of everyone involved in helping pupils to prepare with the changes to GCSEs.

She said: “Congratulations to all the pupils, staff, parents and carers who have worked so hard to achieve these results. I know there were changes to subject curriculums and it is therefore unfair, even impossible, to compare this year’s results with last year’s GCSEs".

She added:"However, I am sure all support will be provided to ensure they can enter their school’s sixth form or further education courses to continue their paths to university or enter employment.”

Caerleon Comprehensive School's head teacher, Lana Picton, described this year’s GCSE results at the school as “first class”.

She said: “We are proud to report that our young people have worked tirelessly alongside their teachers to produce the highest set of GCSE results in the history of the school.”

St Joseph’s Roman Catholic High School head teacher Trevor Brown said they are “enormously proud” of all their students including Alex Aston, an Argus paper boy, who got three A*s and five As. He will be doing A-levels in chemistry, maths and physics.

“I want to go to university to study physics,” Alex said. “I will probably be celebrating with my friends.”

Raegan Russell – who got seven As and four Bs – is also going to do A-levels and would like to study business finance at university.

“I am feeling good, it was hard work,” she said.

Isabelle Styles – who got one A, four Bs and one C – is off to Coleg Gwent to study musical theatre.

“My dream job is performing and acting,” she said. “I am really happy with my result’s today as I did not expect them.”

Helen Marshall, from Rougemont school, added they had a “fantastic” morning at the school with 57 per cent of pupils achieving A*/A grades and 35 per cent of pupils receiving A* grades,” she said.

In Torfaen provisional figures show 50 per cent of pupils achieving the level two threshold - five GCSEs A*-C including English or Welsh first language and maths - a three percent drop on 2016 results.

Overall, 52.6 per cent of pupils achieved five GCSEs A* - C, a decrease from 78.5 per cent last year. Around 11 per cent also got at least five GCSEs at A*/A or equivalent .

Torfaen County Borough Council state the dip in results is due to BTEC qualifications being exempt from the ‘phase two’ bracket.

Torfaen CBC’s education head, Cllr David Yeowell, said the authority would work with schools and the Education Achievement Service to “ensure pupils are supported effectively” and that “no learner is disadvantaged”.

He added that the "result of BTEC qualifications no longer contributing to this level two threshold" makes the new results "incomparable" with last year".

At St Albans’s Roman Catholic School in Pontypool, English results saw 83 per cent of pupils achieving A* to C and 22 per cent achieving A or A*.

Outgoing head teacher, Michael Coady, added that Maths had improved with 72 per cent achieving a C and 25 per cent achieving an A or A* alongside improvements in science.

Top performing students included Callum Hill who achieved 12 A*s and one B, Elodie Chard, who achieved 11 A*s, one A and one B and Lewis Thomas, who achieved 10 A*s, one A and one B.

Mr Coady said: “Congratulations to the staff and students for all their hard work and best wishes for the future.

“I have been extremely lucky to have been given this opportunity to lead this school”.

Lesley Meredith, 16, of Pontypool, achieved six A*s, five As, one B and one C and will be staying on to study sciences at St Alban’s sixth form.

“It’s definitely better than I expected,” she said.

Lauren Baker, 16, of Cwmbran, received one A*, four As and three Bs and was “really happy” with her results with plans to study sciences at St Alban’s sixth form in the next term.

At Croesyceiliog School, 63 per cent of pupils gained five or more GCSE grades at A* - C with many pupils achieving the highest grades in all or most of their subjects.

This included Oliver Alderson, Rachel Bull, Elliott Cocker, Georgia Day, Meghan Hopkins, Delyth Jones, Macey Jones, Rhys Jones, Sarah McCarthy, Martha Pugh and Nia Taylor.

Head of Year 11 Welsh, Tina Newland-Jones, thanked pupils, their families, staff and governors and celebrated “another successful year” for the school.

Remilekun Adebiyi, of Welsh Medium school Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw, achieved three A*s, six As, three Bs and a distinction in Further Maths and is staying at the school for sixth form.

The pupil – who is also an aspiring athlete – “wasn’t really nervous” about the results as he is taking part in the England Athletics Under 17 / 15 championships in Bedford this weekend.

The 16-year-old will be competing in the 1,500m steeplechase and his father, Owolabi Adebiyi, added he felt “very proud” of his achievements.

Head teacher Ellis Griffiths is retiring after 21 years at the school and said he was “grateful to the staff for their hard work and to the pupils for all their efforts”, describing his time at the school as an “absolute pleasure”.

“I’m very grateful for all the experiences I have had. It will be a unique experience when I’m not here next year collecting exam results,” he added.

Welsh Government statistics show that 62.8 per cent of all learners, including early entry candidates, achieved A* - C grades with A* grades remaining stable and improvements in English Literature, History, Geography and Welsh.

But cabinet secretary for education, Kirsty Williams, said she was “concerned” about the “high number of pupils being entered early for their exams” who “have not had the opportunity to reach their full potential”.

She added this is putting “unnecessary pressure” on pupils, teachers and school budgets and said the “current situation is unsustainable”.

“Our radical overhaul of our education system is about raising standards and the aspirations of our learners,” she said.

“As well as reforming GCSEs, we are introducing a new curriculum and new professional teaching and leadership standards to make sure our pupils have the skills they need to succeed in life.”