SHRIEKS of joy accompanied the opening of GCSE results across the county.

Dorset schools had mixed results though many beat the national average and their own records of pupils achieving at least five A* to C grades.

First-class Thomas Hardye School students smashed the national average by 25 per cent as 78 per cent of pupils scooped five or more A* to C grades at the Dorchester school.

Edward Follis, 16, from Owermoigne, said: "I am over the moon with my results. The teachers are really good here - they really help you out."

Headteacher Dr Iain Melvin said: "These results are marvellous and will again place us in the top drawer of schools in England."

Budmouth Technology College principal David Akers said 64 per cent of his pupils gained five or more A* to C grades which was four per cent more than last year.

Amy Eggleston, 16, from Radipole said she wasn't expecting her four A*s, six As and a B while 16-year-old Adam Greaves said he was thrilled to gain an A*, three As, five Bs and a C.

Mr Akers said: "We're absolutely delighted. Not only do our results exceed the target figure for the year group by an amazing 13 per cent but they are also the best GCSE results the college has had."

Wey Valley School on Dorchester Road had 49 per cent of its pupils achieving at least five GCSEs above a grade C. Acting headteacher Phil Thomas said: "We are very pleased that the kids who have worked so hard have got their results."

Mr Thomas said he was particularly happy with the 76 per cent of PE students who got C or above, putting the school in a good position for starting specialist sports status in September.

Top pupil at the school was 16-year-old Alex Holt from Upwey, who scored eight A*s and one A.

She said: "I worked as hard as I could and I'm very pleased with what I've got."

All Saints School in Wyke Regis had 64 per cent of pupils getting five or more A* to C grades, putting it well above the national average of 58.1 per cent.

Anneka Dymott, 16, from Wyke Regis, earned three As and seven Bs while her friend Jennie Crone, also 16, achieved one A*, five As and four Bs. She said: "I'd tried not to think about my results but now I'm really pleased."

Headteacher Tim Balmforth said: "These are wonderful results and I congratulate our pupils and staff."

Royal Manor Arts College on Portland celebrated its first year of specialist arts status with all of its drama students achieving A* to C grades.

Overall it improved on last year's results by two per cent with 52 per cent of pupils gaining five or more A* to Cs. Katie Day, of Weston on Portland, had a double celebration as she got better than expected results the day before her 16th birthday.

Sam Watkin, 16, of Weston, was the college's highest achieving boy with six A*s, four As and three Bs while best friends Kerry Shepherd and Bethany Dunn, both 15, received exactly the same grades of three A*s, four As and three Bs.

Kerry said: "I'm so happy! It's been such a long week waiting for the results to come out."

Headteacher Paul Green said: "I pay tribute to the hard work of the students and the increasing skill and dedication of their teachers."

Weymouth College reported 46 per cent of its students earned at least five A* to Cs. Principal Sue Moore said the college was delighted.

More than 60 per cent of students at Bridport's Sir John Colfox School achieved at least five A* to C grades.

Headteacher Chris Mason said: "This has been a very hardworking year group and I'm very pleased that has paid off."

Beaminster School headteacher Mike Best said: "There have been some outstanding results and success stories with several candidates achieving nine or more passes with A* and A grades."

Results at Woodroffe School, Lyme Regis, were the best the school has ever achieved with 68 per cent achieving at least five passes at grade C and above.

The Blandford School saw 58 per cent of students achieving at least five A* to C grades and pupil James Adams was particularly pleased after being told he had been awarded one of the top five marks in business studies in the country.

Nationally the overall pass rate fell slightly but there was a rise in the number of pupils getting at least five A* to Cs - from 57.9 per cent last year to 58.1 per cent.