By Kelly Eve and Jenny Barwise

Last updated 15:56, Thursday, 21 August 2008

THRILLED students around Cumbria are looking forward to a bright future this morning.

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Double delight: Twins Heather and Cathy Riley of Cockermouth School

The tension of waiting for GCSE results was finally lifted for the 6,400 Cumbrian pupils who picked up their GCSE results this morning.

Shock, surprise, and most of all joy greeted the pupils who arrived at school this morning to collect their grades.

Schools around west Cumbria reported beating their projected targets in the exams.

At Cockermouth School 77 per cent of the pupils attained five or more A* - C grades and 68 per cent got five or more A* - C grades including English and Maths, which are the new government measures.

Headteacher Stuart Reeves said: “It is another excellent set of GCSE results and I am very pleased with them. I would like to congratulate all the pupils on their hard work and would like to thank the dedication of the staff and the support from parents.

“Record numbers of students will attend sixth form and I look forward to celebrating future successes with them.”

Twins Cathy and Heather Riley, 16, got similar results, they both got a mixture of A*s and As and Heather got one B grade.

Cathy said: “They’re great, they are not what I expected.” Heather added: “I thought I was going to get more Bs.”

Richard Dumbill, 16, was happy with his nine and a half A*s and one and a half As and will go on to sixth form to do sciences and maths and then on to university to study medicine.

Viktorija Lygnugaryte from Lithuania got a mixture of A B and C grades and is going to sixth form to study double maths, physics and chemistry and then on to university.

She said: “The results are better than expected. I didn’t expect to get a B in geography, I worked really hard for them and I am pleased.”

Headteachers at Beacon Hill School in Aspatria and St Joseph’s in Workington have both confirmed their students have beaten projected targets.

And David Ferriby, deputy head at Nelson Tomlinson school in Wigton said the school had received its best ever results, with 73.9 per cent of students receiving five or more higher grades, and 66.2 per cent managing the same, including grades in English and maths.

He said: “We were delighted last week with our A-Levels results last week, and now we are equally delighted with our GCSEs.”

Tom Ryan, head at St Joseph’s, said: “Sixty-five per cent of the year group achieved five A*-C passes, 51 per cent achieving five A*-Cs which included English and maths.

“They exceeded the target which was agreed with the local authority by seven per cent and that is a great achievement.

“This result is one to be proud. It is the culmination of five years’ hard work and I would publicly like to thank of the parents for their encouragement and support, the school staff for their tremendous work and most importantly of all the pupils.”

Advisers at Carlisle College and Lakes College West Cumbria are now on hand to help. Contact them on 01228 822703 or 01946 839300 respectively. Connexions Cumbria is also offering help to all students, whether they got the grades they expected or not, on 0800 435 709.

The national exam helpline – 0800 100 8000 – is open until Saturday.