Delighted pupils make the grade

NERVOUSNESS gave way to relief at schools across Greater Manchester as teenagers collected their GCSE results.

- ETHAN DAVIES AND MAISIE LAWTON

Yesterday was the all-important date for this year's pupils to find out their fate.

The students faced a grade 're-set' with marking, as exams regulator Ofqual said this year's GCSE results would be lower than last year when teachers graded their work. Despite the challenge of getting top marks, many Mancunian students rose to it - and were justly rewarded.

A day which started full of anxiety was punctuated by tears of joy, screams of delight, and jumps of ecstasy by midmorning. At Chorlton High School, relief could be seen on the faces of students and teachers.

One of those who faced an apprehensive wait was Luke Silwa. He was predicted a grade 4 - equivalent to a C in the old grading system - for science in year 10, so he had some work to do to turn things around. His hard work paid off and he is walking away from school with an 8 in science, equivalent to between A and A*. "It's all thanks to my teacher (Miss Sarwar) and she's really helped me," Luke said. "I couldn't have done it without her. I'll be doing business, Spanish and maybe sociology at Xaverian College now I've got the results I needed."