Exam results are continuing the upward trend in Lowestoft and Reydon with school reporting an increase in students achieving GCSE maths and English at grade C or above.

Students were celebrating after discovering their hard work had paid off and many shed tears of joy after opening their results.

East Point Academy recorded the biggest improvement, with 62pc of students achieving the standard compared with 43pc last year.

Benjamin Britten High School also had reason to celebrate after 60pc of students achieved maths and English GCSEs at C grade or above compared with 43pc in 2014.

James McAtear, executive headmaster at Benjamin Britten, said: 'These results are a credit to the staff, parents and children of Benjamin Britten. With the opening of the centre of excellence in mathematics and the music academy we hope to build on these results.'

A total of 56pc of students achieved the standard at Pakefield High compared with 54pc the previous year while Ormiston Denes Academy saw a 1pc increase to 32pc.

Pakefield High headteacher Louise Jackson said: 'Developing core skills in literacy and numeracy are crucial in supporting young people in their future learning and employment, and these grades reflect the hard work of our year 11 pupils and the absolute dedication of all of our staff in helping our pupils to be the best they can be.'

Ormiston Denes Academy principal Peter Marshall said: 'I would like to congratulate all our students receiving their results today for their hard work. There are some excellent success stories. We are pleased with the improvement from last year, achieved against an increasingly academic curriculum. We will continue to work hard to continue the improvement.'

St Felix School in Reydon also saw an increase in students achieving maths and English GCSEs at grade C or above from 61pc in 2014 to 76pc this year.

James Harrison headteacher of the school said: 'They are a very pleasing set of results, particularly in the core subjects of English, maths and science.

'These results show another successful year for the pupils and staff, and it is enjoyable to see their success.

'A thank you and congratulations to all our teachers and pupils, St Felix is not an exams factory it is a school for the local children of Norfolk and Suffolk.'