The stories behind the GCSE results
Pupils around the country received their long-awaited GCSE results today - here are some of the stories behind the results.
Sir Winston Churchill's great-granddaughter was awarded one of the best results in her school year.
Isabella Soames, the 16-year-old daughter of Conservative Mid Sussex MP Nicholas Soames, gained 11 A*s at independent Brighton College in East Sussex.
Nine-year-old Abhinav Santhiramohan, who passed his GCSE maths exam with the top grade today, compared the test to a puzzle-solving computer game.
Abhinav, from Luton, was awarded an A* after taking his GCSE exam seven years early. He even completed the paper with 45 minutes to spare.
A leading showjumper is hoping success in her GCSEs will spur her on to win a place at the Olympic Games.
Romilly Simmons, who gained three As, three Bs and three Cs in her exams, received them by phone as she was competing in the Young Rider Championships in Ireland.
A 10-year-old boy who dreams of working for Nasa was "over the moon" after achieving a B grade in GCSE astronomy.
Monty Rix, from St Austell in Cornwall, is believed to be the youngest person to study the subject and sat the exam six years early.
Six sets of twins at one school notched up 43 A* and 44 A grades between them.
The twins are all in the same year group at St. Mary Redcliffe and Temple School in Bristol, where results have shot up six per cent.
A pupil who was unable to speak English when she moved to Britain eight years ago is celebrating a set of 10 A* GCSEs.
Jenny Guo, 16, moved from her native China to Bristol when she was just eight and did not speak a word of the language.
But among the good news there was some tragedy - Ajmol Alom, a 16-year-old who was murdered in Poplar 10 days ago, achieved top grades.
Ajmol was awarded eight A grades in subjects including maths, science and geography, and three B grades in English language, humanities and physical education.