Teenagers across Mid Sussex were today celebrating another year of record GCSE results, bucking a national grade slip.

Headteachers and exam boards were last night reporting their best results as pupils waited anxiously to find out how they had done.

Nationally, the proportion of students gaining one pass or more at grade G and above dropped from 97.9 per cent to 97.6 per cent.

But the number of students gaining A* or A grades was up 0.3 per cent with one in six pupils scoring the top grades.

Today, it was all smiles at Burgess Hill School for Girls where 96 per cent of pupils achieved A* to C grades and 57 per cent of Year 11 students gained A* or A grades, up a notch on last year.

Fourteen girls went home with only As and A*s on their results sheets.

Among them was Julia Patterson, 16, who was overcome with emotion at her seven A*s and two As.

She said: "I have done much better than I expected. I'm just greatly relieved that it's all over."

There was also a place amongst the elite for 14-year-old Emma Collier, who got one of the top five marks in the country in German, despite taking the exam two years early.

At Holy Trinity School, Crawley, 67 per cent of students achieved five or more A* to C grades.

Among the high fliers were Sarah Ingamells and Helen Thomas, who scored seven A* grades, while Tom Blackman and Rachel Ford gained six A* and four Grade A's.

Hurstpierpoint College celebrated its best performance yet with 47 per cent of grades at either A or A* and 42 per cent of students notching up at least six A* or A grades.

However, headmaster Stephen Meek said there could be too much emphasis placed on results.

He said: "Academic excellence lies at the heart of a good education but so much more is required to develop the talents and abilities of our rising generations."

St Paul's Catholic College in Haywards Heath had 71 per cent of pupils gaining five or more A* to Cs.

Headteacher John Flower said: "I am delighted as always with what we have achieved.

"My congratulations go to both the students and the staff who have helped them get the results."

At Warden Park School in Cuckfield, 73 per cent of students gained five or more high grade GCSEs. Seven students got an A* or A in every subject.

Headteacher Steve Johnson hit back at suggestions the exams were easy.

He said: "Qualifying in up to nine different subjects is tough. Success depends on developing a very broad understanding and wide range of skills, not to mention the high level of organisation needed to keep on top of it all."

Mr Johnson also said he was pleased that boys had performed almost as well as girls.

Nationally, however, boys are still trailing girls, although the gap narrowed slightly from 53.4 per cent hitting C and above to 53.6 per cent. The girls' performance remained unchanged at 62.4 per cent.