GASPS, sobs and squeals of delight filled school halls across Wanstead and Woodford as teenagers got their GCSE results this morning.

Crowds of teens were up bright and early to collect their all-important envelopes from school today (Thursday, August 24).

This year’s cohort are the first to be tested with the new exam system, which grades pupils from 1 to 9 instead of A* to E.

For now only maths, English literature and language are being marked differently, with other subjects likely to adopt the new system in years to come.

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East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

It was an emotional morning for students at Wanstead High School as they opened their GCSE results (Photo: Mark Soanes)

Wanstead High School celebrated a great set of results, with more A* and A grades than previous years and plenty of the new 9 grades.

Somaiya Firdows was in complete shock when she opened her results to find she bagged seven As and two A*s.

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Wanstead High Year 11 pupil Somaiya Firdows

She said: “I’m so surprised, I wasn’t expecting to do this well.

“I did revise a lot, I had no life for two or three months, but I’m so proud of myself now.

The 16-year-old wants to study English literature, psychology and religious studies for A-Level.

Joseph Clark, 16, was also over the moon, getting four A*s, four As and 2 Bs.

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Wanstead High's Joseph Clark was thrilled with his results (Photo: Mark Soanes)

He said: “Revision completely took over my life, I was revising for hours every single day.

“I’m so happy – a little disappointed with my 6 in English, but pleased with my 8 in maths.”

Joseph is off to the London Academy of Excellence in Stratford for sixth form and is going out for a well-deserved meal with his family to celebrate.

Wanstead High twins Amelia and Theodore Nankivell were among the school’s other high achievers.

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The Nankivell twins with their proud mum at Wanstead High 

Amelia got a 9, 4 As and 3 Bs, while Theodore bagged 3 A*s, 3 As, 2 9s and a 7.

Amelia is planning to do English, History and art at Wanstead High or Seven Kings and Theodore is undecided between staying in Wanstead and heading to LAE to do English, biology and chemistry.

Asked what they are doing to celebrate, they both replied: “sleeping”.

Theo Higgins managed three A*s, two 8s, 4As and a 7 and said although he expected the new exams to be harder, “they evidently weren’t too hard in the end”.

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Wanstead High's Theo Higgins

He added: “I started revising in February and have been doing loads on weekends and during half term – but giving up my holidays was obviously worth it, I’m so happy."

The 16-year-old is off to study computer science, maths and history at Seven Kings High School.

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Wanstead High School student Destiny Nneoma Isoka said she was 'overwhelmed' by her great results (Photo: Mark Soanes)

Head teacher Bob Hamlyn said: “We’re really happy for our students, they worked hard for these grades and it’s great to see so many of them meet or exceed their expectations.

“Once again we’re well above national averages.”

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Woodbridge High School pupils celebrate their results

Woodbridge High School in Woodford Green got their best results yet, with 73 per cent of students getting 4s or more in the new English and maths exams.

Head teacher Andrew Beaumont said: “With the exam changes we were expecting turbulence in results, but we have performed very strongly.

“Today is about celebrating the results of each of our individual students.

“These results have been achieved through their hard work and that of their teachers and our congratulations go to all of them.”

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All smiles at Woodbridge High

Some of the highest Woodbridge achievers were Lucy Malpas who got two 9s, one 8, seven A*s and an A, Lorna Cartwright with two 9s, one 7, seven A*s and an A and Hannah Teague with two 9s, one 8, four A*s and four As.

David Wan also did very well with two 9s, one 8, five A*s and two As, along with Scarlet House who bagged two 8s, one 7, three A*s and two As.

They are all staying on at Woodbridge to do their A-Levels. 

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Year 11s at Bancroft’s School in Woodford Green did fantastically well, with 54.4 per cent of all grades awarded as A*s.

A total of 89 per cent were A*s or As and there were 15 youngsters who got a clean sweep of 10 A*s.

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Head teacher Simon Marshall said: “This is an excellent set of results from a year-group which has been perhaps a little slow to realise their academic potential.

“There are so many pleasing individual success-stories – from those students who have worked exceptionally hard to achieve As and Bs to those who have managed to gain nine or more A*s.

“It was great to see so many of our pupils express real joy (and relief) with their achievements.

“I am sure that this is a year-group which will now grow in intellectual confidence on the back of these great results and approach their A Levels with real ambition.”

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

Did you or someone you know do really well in their GCSES from Wanstead or Woodford?