Slideshow: Top marks for students at Newport Free Grammar School

EXCITED students at Newport Free Grammar School picked up their GCSE results this morning. For many it was emotions of relief and joy as they achieved the grades they had been hoping for or did better than expected. Director of learning at the school, Mar

EXCITED students at Newport Free Grammar School picked up their GCSE results this morning.

For many it was emotions of relief and joy as they achieved the grades they had been hoping for or did better than expected.

Director of learning at the school, Mark Norman, said: "We are so pleased; the grades are an improvement of about five per cent on last year. All the students have worked very hard and some have achieved outstanding results."

Top-scoring student Lewis Rendell - who picked up an incredible 13 A* grades - said he was "shocked" by the results.

"I had been expecting to do quite well, but I didn't think they would be anywhere near this good!" he said. "My parents are amazed - they're jumping around all over the place."

Lewis will go on to study A Levels in maths, further maths, chemistry and physics and hopes one day to have a career where he can use his mathematical skills.

Gemma Ford also did better than she had expected when she picked up four A*s, five As and two Bs.

"I'm really, really pleased," she said. "I did a lot better in English that I had thought!