There have been screams of joy for some as students came into school to collect their GCSE results this morning.
Envelopes were ripped open in the hall at Wood Green School in Witney as eager Year 11s finally found out the results of months and years of exams and course work.
Head of year 11 Carrie Billington said: "There were lots of happy tears of joy and satisfaction from many students who have either achieved their target grades, or even exceeded the grades that they were predicted.
"A huge well done to the students for their hard work."
Thomas Heuth achieved nine 9s and one 8 and will stay on for sixth form.
"I'm thrilled," he beamed.
READ MORE: Oxfordshire GCSE results 2023 live updates
Oliver Le Feuvre achieved eight 9s and one 8 and will go into the sixth form to study Maths, Further Maths and Chemistry.
"It was sort of what I was expecting," he finally admitted modestly.
Joseph Raven received nine 9s and Sarie Sharples did 'jazz hands' as she waved her results and said: "I'm really happy."
The school said this year was it's best-ever GCSE results despite Covid disruption and a rise in students not attending school.
Some 72 per cent of students achieved five GCSEs at grade 4 or more including English and Maths, beating the school’s 2018 best previous performance.
Deputy headteacher Ian Goddard said: “I am so delighted for our students, staff and families. Students have worked so hard, and it is fantastic to see this work rewarded.”
Like all schools, Wood Green said it has seen an increase in the number of students who have found school challenging, which is shown up through low attendance.
Headteacher Rob Shadbolt said: “Some of our students have achieved multiple top grades, like Thomas and Jacob who achieved nine grade 9s.
"I am equally delighted that several students who at one point may not have taken any GCSEs, achieved some great grades which will give them life-changing options for the future.
"For our school this year, I am so proud that we have achieved our best results ever."
But he said education must remain a Government priority so that all students are given the chance to succeed.
He said: "We want every young person to enjoy success - recognising the challenges that some of our young people face and ensuring that future cohorts have access to the right support and education that is well-funded is a national priority.”
At Chipping Norton School, 86 per cent of students achieved a Grade 4 or above in both English and Maths, and average grades continuing to rise at the school for a fifth consecutive year, with close to one third of all results being grades 7 to 9.
Headteacher Barry Doherty said: “We could not feel greater satisfaction for our fabulous students, happiness for our incredibly supportive parents and carers, or pride in our body of dedicated and highly skilled teaching and non-teaching staff.”
At independent Cokethorpe School in Witney almost one fifth of pupils received eight or more grade 9-7s – the equivalent of an ‘A’ or above on the old grading system.
READ MORE: GCSE results - Oxfordshire education councillor congratulates students
Headmaster Damian Ettinger said: "While we are a school that celebrates the successes of all of our pupils, there are a few whom I would like to highlight as being deserving of particular merit.
"Two pupils achieved nine grade 9s and one grade 8, another seven grade 9s and one grade 8, and another with five 9s and 5 grade 8s.
"I would like to thank and pay compliment to our ever-supportive parents and our excellent staff, who, between them, play such an important role in our pupils’ successes."
Burford School celebrated a solid set of GCSE, BTEC, Technical Award, and Cambridge National exam results with the vast majority of students now set to start sixth form in September.
A Burford School spokesperson said: "This is particularly pleasing given that this year Ofqual, the exams watchdog, announced that tougher grade boundaries would be imposed to return to pre-pandemic grading, lowering national GCSE results in England.
"Given this announcement, it is all the more impressive that some of our students achieved brilliant individual results this year."
More than 60 per cent of GCSE grades were grade 5 or higher, with 54 per cent of students achieving a grade 5 or above in GCSE English and mathematics.
BTEC students did exceptionally well, with 30 per cent achieving a Distinction or better and 42 per cent in Engineering.
Exceptional results were achieved by Grace Linton, who achieved four grade 9s, three grade 8s and an 8-7.
Grace said: "I am happy with my results. I had a very good GCSE experience and now plan to take A-Levels in Geography, Drama and Psychology."
Isabelle Lampard achieved two grade 9s and a 9-8, four grade 8s and three grade 7s.
On opening her results, Isabelle said: "I am very happy. I enjoyed my GCSE experience at Burford, finding it challenging yet interesting. I plan to go to Sixth Form and study History, Mathematics and English Literature."
Headteacher Matthew Albrighton said: "I am so proud that our students have achieved such a strong set of results. All our Year 11 students at Burford have shown great endeavour and enthusiasm towards their studies over the past two years, which has been rewarded with outstanding outcomes today."
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