There were success stories aplenty across the region as youngsters picked up their A Level results - despite a downturn in the number of top grades being handed out.

Nationally, the number of A and A* grades fell by almost 10pc compared with last year, with a slight reduction in the overall pass rate as well.

The overall pass rate in England was 97.3pc - the lowest it has been since 2008 - a figure relating to grades between A* and E.

This figure was slightly eclipsed in Norfolk though, with a pass rate of 97.4pc.

The county did, however, fall behind the national curve for grades of A and A* - with 23.3pc given out compared with 26.3pc nationally.

Eastern Daily Press: Taverham Sixth Form A Level studentsTaverham Sixth Form A Level students (Image: Taverham Sixth Form)

But the proportion of top grades still eclipsed the rate in 2019, the last set of examinations before the pandemic hit.

Experts have put the slide in results down to efforts from exam boards to go back to pre-pandemic grading, with the current cohort completing their entire studies without Covid restrictions.

Eastern Daily Press: Students from University Techical College Norwich. Picture: Keith MindhamStudents from University Techical College Norwich. Picture: Keith Mindham (Image: Keith Mindham)

Many schools did locally experience downturns in results, although King Edward VII in King's Lynn and University Technical College Norfolk both saw year-on-year improvements.

Fakenham Sixth Form was another outlier but did not provide its exact figures.

Eastern Daily Press: Ormiston Victory Academy A Level studentsOrmiston Victory Academy A Level students (Image: Ormiston Victory Academy)

However, a wider picture is difficult to provide due to a considerable number of schools opting against making their results public on the advice of Educate Norfolk.

Eastern Daily Press: Jane Austen College students picking up their A Level resultsJane Austen College students picking up their A Level results (Image: Inspiration Trust)

Nationally, 75.3pc of grades were C or above - while in Norfolk this figure was 73.4pc.

The region was not, however short of success stories.

Among these was 18-year-old Adam Watney, who attended Sir Isaac Newton Sixth Form in Norwich and achieved the best further maths score in the country.

A trio of students from Norwich High School for Girls - Antonia Rogers, Nora Rechel and Abigail Smith, all came away with straight A*s.

Eastern Daily Press: Antonia Rogers, Nora Rechel and Abigail Smith, from Norwich High School for Girls, all got straight A*sAntonia Rogers, Nora Rechel and Abigail Smith, from Norwich High School for Girls, all got straight A*s (Image: Norwich High for Girls)