In Pictures: Youngsters celebrate GCSE results

It had been expected that grades would drop below last year.

Finney Harrod receiving his GCSE results at Norwich School (Joe Giddens/PA) (PA Wire)

Teenagers across the UK are celebrating after receiving their GCSE results.

Top grades are down on last year but remain higher than pre-pandemic levels.

In 2021, the proportion of GCSE entries awarded top grades surged to an all-time high after exams were cancelled for the second year in a row due to Covid-19 and pupils were given results determined by their teachers.

Similar to the pattern with A-level results, published last week, it had been expected that GCSE grades would drop below last year, but remain above those from 2019 as students returned to sitting exams for the first time in three years.

Shannon Rostam looks surprised by her GCSE results at Rockwood Academy in Alum Rock, Birmingham (Jacob King/PA) (PA Wire)

(Jacob King/PA) (PA Wire)

Gulam-Mustafaa Aslam receiving his GCSE results (Jacob King/PA) (PA Wire)

Students celebrate after receiving their GCSE results at Roedean School, Brighton (Gareth Fuller/PA) (PA Wire)

Maddie Hallam and her parents look delighted with her GCSE results at Norwich School (Joe Giddens/PA) (PA Wire)

Jonathan Ikazaboh gives a thumbs-up after reading his grades (Joe Giddens/PA) (PA Wire)

(Joe Giddens/PA) (PA Wire)

(Gareth Fuller/PA) (PA Wire)

Students receiving their GCSE results at Rockwood Academy (Jacob King/PA) (PA Wire)

(Gareth Fuller/PA) (PA Wire)