BARRY COMPREHENSIVE pupils eagerly collected their GCSE results after two years of hard work on Thursday.

Head teacher Gerard McNamara said that he was “very pleased” with the achievements of the students and that their “sustained effort over the last two years had paid dividends.”

Top achievers included Owain Evans, who achieved thirteen GCSE grades, with 12 at A* or A grade, and the intermediate Welsh Baccalaureate, which is equivalent to three GCSE grades at C to A*.

John Frazer also achieved thirteen GCSE grades, with 12 at A* or A grade, and the intermediate Welsh Baccalaureate.

Gareth Hurman was one of the highest achievers from the school as he achieved eight A*’s, an A and three B’s and it set to study Maths, Chemistry, History and Geology at A-level.

He achieved A*’s in History, English Language, Geography, Geology, Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Physics, an A in English Literature and B’s in French, RE and Welsh.

“I’m really happy and pleased with my results,” he said.

“The coursework was probably the hardest part of the GCSE’s.

“I’m now looking forward to sixth form here.”

His mother Andrea Hurman, who featured in the Barry and District News after she narrowly missed two explosions at the end of the Boston Marathon earlier this year, said: “I’m really proud of him and all the hard work he’s put in.

“They are well deserved results.”

Joshua Simmons achieved A*’s in Maths, French and Italian, A’s in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, RE, English Literature and Language, Business Studies, a B in Welsh, a D in additional maths and the Welsh Baccalaureate.

“I’m really happy with my results,” he said.

“English was really hard but I got an A in that so I’m very happy.”

Joshua, who has featured as an extra in the welsh drama series Gwaith/Cartref that is filmed at Barry Comprehensive, added: “Languages are my favourite subject and I’m going to study French, Welsh, Chemistry and English Literature for A-level.

“I’d then like to study French and Japanese at university and be a translator in the future.

“I have also got books about Polish, Chinese, German and Spanish so I try and teach myself them in my spare time.”

Head teacher Gerard McNamara added: “We look forward to further achievement as students progress to the sixth form. This success would not be possible without the continued commitment of our staff, teaching and non-teaching, who really do go the extra mile for our students. We also need to recognise the support of parents at this very critical time. There is a real cause to celebrate in Barry and I hope families and their young people take time to celebrate well deserved success.”