An air of relief was palpable among students at Samuel Ward Academy in Haverhill, where students expressed the fears that they had held over the way their grades were going to be decided.

Fears were replaced by delight though, as the Government's decision to use teacher assessed grades instead of the algorithm left students and their teachers with smiles on their faces.

Poppy Boreham was delighted after getting 8 GCSEs, including a grade 9 in English Language, and will head to Long Road Sixth Form College in Cambridge to study A levels.

She admitted, however, to being worried her grades might be lower given what had happened with the A levels results nationwide before the Government u-turn.

She said: "I was really happy. I've worked quite hard throughout the year so I'm pleased.

"I saw the A level results and was thinking 'it's not going to go well' but it's gone okay."

Having learnt that she had gained eight GCSEs, Polly James said: "I'm quite proud of them. I think they predicted it would be where i was at and they were fair grades.

"A few of them they've brought down a grade or so but that's probably an overall judgement of all my work."

Stevo Roy passed ten GCSEs with all but German being at grade seven or higher. He now heads to Long Road to do three A levels.

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He said: "These are what I basically got for my mocks. I'm really happy with it. I think it's fair but i was expecting some grades to be lower."

Lauren Falconio is also off to Long Road after getting eight GCSE's, one of them being a grade 9 in Film Studies.

She said: "I'm really pleased because I felt it was what i would have got if I actually just did my exams.

"I think we were all really worried about the way we were being marked. We were all uncertain about what we would get but I'm really pleased with what I've got."

A special mention must also go to Samuel ward Head Girl, Nicole Dye, who gained 11 GCSEs, eight of them at grade nine.

Head teacher Andy Hunter said: "We are satisfied that everyone has got the results that they have deserved.

"After a period of uncertainty and worry for teachers and students we are all really pleased that they have got what they need to take them on to the next steps now.

"I think it is very sad that students are coming in to pick up their results and expecting them to be worse than they ought to be."

Other students who fared particularly well include Alan Adamec: 2x grade 9, 7x grade 8 and 2x grade 7. Will Brown: 4x 9, 4x 8, 2x 7, 1x. Ruth Ridgway: 2x 9, 3x 8, 3x 7. Finn Ditum: 4x 9, 4x 8, 3x 7, 3x 6, Felix Gunstone: 4x 9, 3x 8, 1x 7, 2x 6. Mariel Korstanje: 5x 9, 5x 8. James Martinez: 5x 9, 2x 8, 3x 7. Ellie Pitcher: 5x 9, 3x 8, 3x 7, 6x 2. Callum Turnbull: 2x 9, 3x 8, 2x 7, 3x 6. Charis Watts: 5x 9, 4x 8, 3x 7. Izzy Watts: 2x 9, 6x 8, 1x 7, 1x 6. Steph White: 3x 9, 3x 8, 3x 7