STUDENTS and staff at Okehampton College were in high spirits last Thursday after recording their best-ever GCSE results.

College principal Chris Powell said he was delighted with the ?excellent set of results? the college had achieved this year.

?The overall pass rate at C grade and above is 66% and the proportion of students getting five or more A*-C grades is 61.5%, which is an increase of more than 3% on last year,? he said.

?Lots of youngsters have done very well and obviously worked hard and can feel pleased,? Mr Powell said.

?These are the best GCSE results we have ever had. Last week?s A-levels were virtually identical with the year before, so overall we are very pleased,? he added.

Mr Powell said many of the Year 11 pupils would now be continuing their studies into the sixth form at Okehampton College.

Among the students performing well was Eliza Squire of Hatherleigh, who notched up four A* grades, four As plus two Bs.

Eliza said she was ?really pleased? with her A* grade in history and was looking forward to carrying on her studies at A-level including her favourite subject, drama.

Two friends who were both pleased with their results were Olivia Courtenay, who lives near North Tawton and Rebecca Stratton, who lives near Halwill.

Both friends said they had been feeling nervous before opening their results envelope. Olivia said they had both started crying when they plucked up the courage to open their results, as they were so pleased and relieved to have got the good grades they needed.

And an Okehampton girl was among the top candidates in the GCSE examinations at The Maynard School in Exeter.

Katie Bickley, of Okehampton, achieved eight A* grades and one A grade, and will now embark on four A-levels at the all girls? day school.

The school achieved the best-ever GCSE results in its history, with 98% of GCSEs at A*, A or B grades.