STAFF and pupils in Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and Powys are celebrating after a “bumper set of results” following their GCSE exams.

At Penglais School in Aberystwyth, headteacher Mair Hughes said there was a “lot to celebrate”, with three students gaining the maximum 10 A*s in their exams.

Overall, with many pupils “celebrating great results that will enable them to move on to the next stage in their education”, 25 per cent of all the grades at the school were A or A*, with 73 per cent at a C grade or better.

Mrs Hughes said: “We are very proud of our Year 11 cohort who have worked hard and achieved the grades they deserved.”

At Aberystwyth’s Ysgol Penweddig, headteacher Gwenallt Llwyd Ifan praised the “outstanding results” for the school’s GCSE pupils for being “amongst the best in Wales”.

“Once again Penweddig pupils have achieved great success,” Mr Ifan said.

Throughout Ceredigion, 98.5 per cent of entries were graded A* to G, with 23.6 per cent of the entries achieving A* and A grades and 71.6 per cent grades A* to C.

Compared with the Welsh average, five per cent more of Ceredigion entries achieved A*-A grades and 10 per cent more of entries achieved A*-C.

There was also much to celebrate in south Ceredigion.

Ysgol Bro Pedr, Lampeter headteacher Jane Wyn said: “Once again this year, we are incredibly proud of all our students’ achievements. I would like to take this opportunity to wish them every success in the future as many of them return to Ysgol Bro Pedr’s sixth form and others venture to colleges or the world of work.

"The pupils’ success is testimony to their hard work and the guidance provided by their teachers. As a school, we are also grateful to the parents and governors for their continued support.”

There was a similarily celebratory mood at at Ysgol Uwchradd Aberteifi in Cardigan where headteacher Nicola James observed: “It was a pleasure to see so many happy faces as students received their certificates.”

Over 93 per cent of Ysgol Gyfun Aberaeron pupils achieved at least five GCSE grades, earning the praise of headteacher Owain Jones who said they had performed ‘exceptionally well’.

And an impressive 29.3 per cent of Year 11 pupils at Llandysul’s Ysgol Bro Teifi attained five qualifications at A*/A grades and all were successful in achieving the Level 1 GCSE indicator.

Headteacher Robert Jenkins said: “Many of our pupils have achieved an excellent set of results; I am delighted that we have been able to open doors for our pupils in order to pursue further study or enter the world of work.

“I congratulate them and thank their parents and staff at the school for all their hard work.”

Dorian Pugh, headteacher at Ysgol Henry Richard, said: “As a school we’re very proud of the accomplishments of these pupils in achieving excellent GCSE results.

"We’re very happy that 90 per cent of pupils achieved at least 5 A*-C grades in addition to 100 per cent of pupils achieving at least 5 A*-G grades. These results are a reflection of the staff and pupils’ hard work and dedication."

And not to be left out, youngsters at Ysgol Gyfun Emlyn were also jubilant at posting another excellent set of results.

The school has again seen an increase in the number of pupils achieving the performance indicator at Level 2 inclusive (5 A*-C including Cymraeg/English and maths).

“It is with great pride and joy that I congratulate all our pupils on their achievements,” said headteacher Hugh Thomas. “This success is a tribute to their hard work and determination.”

At Ysgol Bro Hyddgen in Machynlleth, pupils “made pleasing progress” on last year’s results, with 81.1 per cent of pupils getting five A* to C grades, and 67.9 per cent getting five A* to C grades including Welsh/English and maths.

Students achieving five A* to A grades reached 18.9 per cent, while 29.9 per cent of the overall grades achieved were A* to A.

Headteacher Dafydd Jones said: “I wish to congratulate the students on their excellent achievements and I’m very grateful to the staff for their hard work, and the parents for their support.­”

At Llanidloes High School, headteacher Daniel Owen said the school has enjoyed a “bumper set of results”.

“I would like to extend my warm congratulations to every student on their results and for reaping the rewards of their hard work,”he said,

For more from your school, including many more pictures, see next week’s Cambrian News, on sale on Wednesday