GCSE results day has arrived across the nation, with young people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland collecting their grades this morning.

Schools received the outcomes on Thursday, with pupils able to pick up their individual results from today onwards. The grades become available from 8am, though timing varies between institutions.

The Education Secretary extended warm wishes to those receiving their outcomes, emphasising that every young person deserves access to quality pathways, whether academic, vocational, technical, creative or a combination. She stated that each individual should have the opportunity to pursue the route best suited to them and build a successful career.

Secondary school leaders throughout Brighton and Hove expressed their backing for students collecting results. The head of Patcham High School, speaking on behalf of the city’s ten secondary headteachers, released a joint statement celebrating student achievements and acknowledging the dedication of staff, families and communities. They recognised that each institution serves its own unique population and that results represent just one aspect of a school’s story.

Sussex Police urged parents and carers to stay informed about their children’s evening plans as celebrations get underway.

Blatchington Mill School in Hove praised its pupils’ achievements, with the headteacher expressing pride in the hard work and determination shown throughout their time at the school.

Reporters were present at several schools gathering reactions from students.

One pupil, Matti Vrai, secured two 8s, three 7s, one 6, three 5s and a 4. She described feeling very happy despite morning nerves, having studied diligently. She will study English literature, media studies and French at Basvic next year and planned to hunt for free food offers in town.

Her classmate Emily Pascoe achieved four 5s and five 4s. She admitted to feeling extremely anxious beforehand but was delighted when opening her envelope, describing it as a huge relief. She remained undecided about next year but intended to seek out complimentary treats.

Habib Alaqad obtained eight 9s, two 8s and one 7. He described feeling quite nervous on arrival but relieved when discovering his results. He will pursue bio-chemistry, maths and further maths at Basvic, with aspirations toward medicine and potentially becoming a cardiologist. He planned to rest, having been too anxious to sleep the previous night.

Faith Roberts received two 8s, three 7s, two 6s and three 5s. She intended to celebrate with a meal at Nando’s and a party. She recounted being unable to sleep for two nights beforehand due to nerves, but felt much better after opening her results. She expressed particular surprise at achieving 8s in English and planned to study maths, PE and psychology at Basvic, though suggested she might need to reassess after reviewing her grades.

Max Rangecroft achieved one 8, two 7s, four 6s and one 5. He was satisfied with obtaining the grades he required and planned to study maths and double sports science at Basvic. He noted that while results can now be accessed via an app, collecting them in person with peers was preferable.

Clay Mowicki obtained a 5, six 3s and two 2s. He expressed disappointment but stated his intention to resit exams.

Emma Alcock secured two 6s, five 5s and two 4s. She described feeling relieved to have passed all her subjects and recalled being more frightened that morning than ever before. She will attend Baca in Falmer to study criminology, psychology and photography, and has a place at a cricket academy.

At Dorothy Stringer, Maggie Lawn achieved the top results in her year group. She attained 9s across all her subjects, a 7 in English language and an 8 in dance. She expressed surprise and happiness at performing better than expected, crediting her extensive preparation.

Three friends, Yasmine Wickers, Coco White and Tallulah Adamson, were celebrating together. Yasmine described feeling surprised but pleased, noting her anxiety during the exams made her relieved they were over. Coco also expressed shock at some unexpected outcomes.

Otis Carter achieved five 9s and will study double maths, philosophy and a BTEC in performance at Basvic. While pleased overall, he noted some subjects fell below his expectations and mentioned that many people were surprised by lower English results. He planned to attend a music festival where he was performing.

A group of pupils including George Wilburn, Luke Maccabe, Sam Schneider, Frank White and Samual Sekyere agreed to share free pizza to mark the occasion.

Max Blackledge was recognised as Dorothy Stringer’s student with the most improvement. He described himself as shocked by his results, which he never anticipated achieving. As someone from a creative background, he planned to pursue maths, graphics and philosophy at Basvic, noting his ability to channel musical creativity into artwork.

At Baca in Brighton, Tilly Humphries was the highest-performing pupil, with four 9s, four 8s and two 7s. She will study biochemistry at Haywards Heath College and expressed gratitude to her teachers for their support.

The Baca cricket squad shared their joy upon receiving results. Oliver Mason achieved mostly 5s and 6s, while Neil Singla was particularly proud of gaining 9s in maths, chemistry and physics and 8s in English language, biology and PE. He credited Baca for providing a supportive environment that helped him balance sporting commitments with studies.

Zach Tullett secured one 8, two 7s, three 6s, three 5s and one 3. He expressed relief at finishing and said he would miss the social aspects of school. He planned to pursue an electrical apprenticeship.

The headteacher at Baca, Mr Jack Davis, expressed immense pride in the school’s progress, noting improvements in both results and student numbers year on year.

Parents also shared their pride as children collected outcomes. Carleen Wilson, 42, and Katie Blood, 51, both have daughters at Baca. Ms Wilson, whose four children have all attended the school and performed well, said she was extremely proud, particularly of her daughter’s distinction in business and childcare alongside strong core subject results. Ms Blood said she was delighted with her daughter’s achievements across music, drama and history, including an 8 in biology, and praised the school’s excellence.

Students from Hove Park School, Blessing, Ben and Louie, were celebrating after securing places at Basvic.

Eastbourne College marked a successful year, with more than a third of all grades at 8 or 9 and 19 per cent achieving the top grade 9.

Mayfield School, an all-girls institution with 86 Year 11 pupils, saw grade 9 as the most frequently awarded outcome. The headmistress, Deborah Bligh, expressed absolute delight for her students and the staff and families who supported them.

Pupils at Cardinal Newman were also celebrating. Amarachi Igwe humorously recalled her mother’s instruction to come home at 8 causing initial confusion about bringing home eight 8s. She planned to ask her parents for money to enjoy a shopping trip.

Simon Boden, Director of Key Stage 4 and Senior Assistant Headteacher, described the morning as brilliant with improved results from the previous year. He emphasised the school’s commitment to celebrating every student’s achievement as a comprehensive institution and expressed particular pride in supporting pupils who have faced mental health challenges. He attributed success to hard work rather than talent and described results day as the highlight of the academic year.

John McKee, headteacher at Patcham High School, said it was always a positive occasion with strong results across the city. He noted the school does not compare itself to other institutions but focuses on individual successes. He highlighted that the school is among the few in the county that does not suspend or exclude any students, ensuring every child completes their educational journey with them. He observed that many students appeared emotional as this milestone marked the end of their time at the school, and he praised the strong relationships the school maintains with pupils as fundamental to their approach. He noted that despite staff experiencing this day annually, the emotional impact remains undiminished, and it was wonderful to witness children succeeding. He added that while the school had registered for an app allowing online results access, students chose to attend in person to celebrate with peers and staff, which he hoped would continue as a traditional right of passage.

Oathall Community College in Haywards Heath celebrated its results, with 81 per cent of grades at 4 or above, 65 per cent at grade 5 or above and 28 per cent graded 7 or higher. The headteacher, Mr Houghton, congratulated students and said their grades would enable progression to the next educational stages.

Brighton Girls reported that 60 per cent of its pupils received grades 9 to 7. The head, Melinda Shead, expressed pride in the cohort’s academic commitment and noted equally impressive was the way students supported each other and contributed positively to school life. She highlighted their resilience during challenging times, their celebration of each other’s successes and their embrace of opportunities beyond the classroom.

Students at Seahaven Academy were celebrating their outcomes.

At Roedean, Zlata Byrsan and Elizabeth Horbatenko, who fled Kryvyi Rih in Ukraine in 2022 at age 12 without speaking English, both received their GCSE results. Zlata achieved 9s in both English literature and English language, while Elizabeth secured an 8 in English literature and a 7 in English language. Elizabeth described moving from feeling completely out of place upon arriving in England to happiness with her results, noting her progression from knowing no English to planning A-level studies and university in the UK. She credited hard work but said her time at the school had been wonderful.

Roedean reported grade 9 as its most common outcome, with one in five students achieving all 9s or 8s and three students receiving straight 9s across all subjects.

Pupils at Bohunt in Worthing were celebrating their results.

A Brighton College student named Artemis, who did not provide a surname, achieved 14 grade 9 results alongside a higher project qualification, a research-based programme developing independent study skills. Artemis studied biology, chemistry, drama, English language, English literature, French, maths, further maths, Greek, history, Mandarin, physics, Russian and Spanish. The school believes these results are the best in the country.

Robertsbridge Community College celebrated a successful year of outcomes.

Edward was among the top performers at Steyning Grammar, achieving eight 9s, two 8s and one 7.

Lancing College is celebrating, with a fifth of all grades awarded being a 9 and an average grade of 7. The headmaster, Dr Scott Crawford, described the results as a triumph and expressed immense pride in every pupil. He explained that Lancing fosters a scholarly community where learning extends beyond the syllabus, with lessons sparking curiosity that pupils pursue independently. He believed this appetite for going further underpins their examination success alongside any revision schedule, and these habits of mind would serve pupils long after the exams are forgotten.