There were smiles and tears across Oxford today as months of waiting came to an end when pupils picked up their GCSE results.

Pupils gathered anxiously at their schools and colleges to find out if they had made the grade.

Many of the city's schools tallied their best ever results, with dozens of success stories at schools across the city.

St Gregory the Great School, Cricket Road, saw more than half its pupils gain at least five A to Cs, with 57 per cent of all grades being C or above.

Headteacher John Hussey said: "Within the statistics are many stories of individual dedication and commitment to overcoming barriers to learning with success at a host of levels.

"The results in 2008 have sent a challenging benchmark for other pupils to improve upon."

Seventeen pupils achieved five or more As or A*s and four students got 10 straight As and A*s.

Rukshunda Ali, 16, from Oxford, got two A*s, eight As and two Bs.

She said: "I'm so happy and really relieved because my hard work paid off."

And Sam Pelletier, 16, from Cowley, who got nine As and three Bs, said: "I'm so pleased with my results, I did way better than I thought - I can't wait to celebrate."

At The Cherwell School, Marston Ferry Road, headteacher Jill Judson said pupils had exceeded their highest targets.

She said: "We have some very high achievers, but there is a real mix because we are a very comprehensive school.

"We are delighted for the kids because a lot of hard work has gone into this.

"There are also kids who haven't achieved very high levels, but have done very well for themselves."

At Cheney School, in Headington, it was another record year of results. The percentage of pupils achieving five or more A* to C grades was at its highest ever figure, rising three per cent from 56 per cent to 59.2 per cent.

Headteacher Jolie Kirby said: "The achievements of Year 11 demonstrated students had made a real effort to secure qualifications which would enable them to progress on to their chosen career paths."

Ellie Doyle, 16, from East Oxford, scored four A*s and 3As to add to two A*s she notched up last year.

She said: "I am so pleased. I am just over the moon. It's a big relief."

As expected, it was a bumper crop of results at Magdalen College School - where 30 pupils managed to score 10 or more A*s.

Master Tim Hands said: "I am obviously delighted, especially as these boys involve themselves in so many other activities.

"I congratulate our pupils and their families on these results."

One pupil, Hermione Stanley, at Rye St Antony School was flying at the top of the scoreboards - gaining 16 straight As, seven of which were A*s.

At Matthew Arnold School, 81 per cent of pupils got five or more A* to Cs, making the results 10 per cent higher than the school's previous best scores.

Hadteacher Katherine Ryan said: "This is an exceptional set of GCSE results and the cause for great celebration."

In Oxford School, Glanville Road, Rachel Hughes took home the biggest haul of grades, with nine A*s and one A. Thirty-four per cent of pupils achieved five A* to C grades.

At St Edward's School, Oxford, 97 per cent of grades were at A* to C, with 40 pupils achieving at least seven As and A*s.

At Headington School, Oxford, five girls achieved straight A*s, four of them scoring 12 and one managing 11.

Girls at Oxford High School managed to score As or A*s in more than 90 per cent of the exams they sat, with 60 per cent at grade A*.

Oxfordshire County Council's schools cabinet member, Michael Waine, said four Oxfordshire schools had been given notice to improve by the Government earlier in the year and three had shown marked improvement.

He said: "I am particularly delighted to see such big improvements at Banbury School and St Gregory the Great, but disappointed with indications that results at Oxford School seem not to have improved.

"We will be holding discussions very soon about what action we will take. Peers School has also shown a pleasing improvement."