RIVINGTON and Blackrod High School praised parents, staff and students for their hard work leading up to the GCSEs.

Pupils nervously made their way up the hill to the school to open up their brown envelopes —the culmination of five years' hard work.

Top performers at the school included Louise Guest, Laura Clare, Lucy Maxwell, Hamza Ansari and Mariam Hassan.

Deputy headteacher Ruth Hugill said: “I would like to thank parents and staff for their contributions and in particular the students for all their hard work and commitment over the last five years.

“We wish all students in the class of 2017 the best for the future.”

Hamza, aged 16, was awarded a 9, an 8 and a 6 as well as four A*s and three As.

He said: "Most of these are around what I was expecting apart from maths, I was not expecting to get a nine. It is a nice surprise.

"I am more nervous now because it is more real. I have been aware of it but this morning I was just completely unable to move.

"I am incredibly relieved. It was hard and you've got to really grind. When the exams came they just flew by."

He now plans to go to sixth form at Bolton School and is looking at possibly doing something in computer science or physics.

Lucy Maxwell, also aged 16, was another high-flyer, who got three A*s, four As, an 8 and two 9s.

She said said: "I feel really proud. It was much better than what I was expecting. I was very anxious on the way to school."

She plans on going to college to study Biology, Chemistry and Maths.