STUDENTS across Wyre Forest are celebrating GCSE exam success after their nerve-wracking wait for results ended last week.

Several schools are toasting best-ever results as grades in the district contributed to the national rise in pass rates.

Two candidates at Bewdley High School - Hannah Newrick and Jennifer MacDonald - were awarded top marks in the country in English literature.

Kidderminster's Holy Trinity School is toasting outstanding results, with students achieving a 100 per cent pass rate and 94 per cent of pupils gaining five or more passes at grades A*-C.

Head Liz Thomas said: "The staff and I are delighted the hard work of the girls has been rewarded with these exceptional results.

"In fact the standards are so good it is difficult to pick out individuals. The overall statistic of 48 per cent A*-A grades is well up on last year and the girls can look forward to their sixth form studies with confidence."

Stourport High School head Liz Quinn said: "I am very pleased with our results which show our commitment to high levels of student achievement.

"The results are well deserved and are an excellent tribute to the students, their families who supported and encouraged them and the teachers who helped them achieve so much."

Results at Wolverley High School have improved for the fourth year successive year with the average points score leaping from 34 to 37, meaning each student gained on average three grades higher than last year.

Of the students entered, 94.5 per cent gained five or more grades A*-G, and 39 per cent gained five or more grades A*-C.

Head Kevin O'Regan, who said the school would be requesting re-marks because he believed some papers had been harshly marked, said: "I am delighted our results have improved again and so many students have done so well.

"We are continuing to introduce initiatives which will bring further improvements and I am confident we will see results rise steadily in the coming years."

The 17 students at Heathfield School, Wolverley, achieved a 92 per cent pass rate at grades A*-C, with 61 per cent passes at A*-B. All students gained at least five passes at A*-C.

Wyre Forest youngsters at Hagley High School contributed to a 66.3 per cent pass rate of five or more subjects at grades A*-C, with a 99.4 per cent overall pass rate.

There was also delight at Hagley's Haybridge High School, where students contributed to the best-ever results, with an 85.7 per cent pass rate at A*-C, of which 84.7 per cent achieved at least five subjects at A*-C. The A*-G rate was 99.8 per cent.

At Kidderminster College, where all GCSE exam entrants took re-sits, there were 100 per cent pass rates in English, science, human physiology, sociology and media studies, a 97 per cent pass rate in maths and a 75 per cent pass rate in psychology.

English and media studies tutor Libby Meredith said: "Everything at the college is geared to success, from small teaching groups to the friendly, positive atmosphere.

"We've even had part-time evening GCSE students who failed at school but have done so brilliantly well with us they have decided to carry on with their A-levels here."