EXCITED pupils at Newport Free Grammar School picked up their GCSE results today (Tuesday August 24).

Seventy-six per cent of students achieved the national benchmark figure of five A* to C grades, 70 per cent including English and maths, maintaining the improvement made last year. And 98 per cent of students achieved five A* to G grades.

Headteacher Sean O’Hagan said: “These results show what can be achieved with hard work and determination and all the students and staff should be congratulated on this very good performance, which confirms the improvements made last year.”

In the school’s specialist areas, performance was good, with more than 68 per cent of students achieving at least one A* to C grade in a modern foreign language and 68 per cent of students achieving at least two A* to C grades in science.

Top performers include Mark Milligan who achieved seven A* grades and five A grades, Sam Shirley-Beavan with four A*s and seven As, Joe McNally with four A* grades and nine A grades and Luke Barnett who scored four A* grades, six As and two Bs.

For the girls, Frith Dunkley achieved four A* grades, seven As and a B, Briar Tilford with three A*s and nine As, Molly Newman with three A*s, six As and three Bs and Lauren Wesley with two A*s and nine As.