Thousands of students celebrated today as many of their schools bucked a national trend and recorded their best GCSE results yet.

There was much back-slapping, congratulations and laughter as they ripped open envelopes.

Tom Gilbanks, of Hove Park School, who scored a string of As, said: "I'm really chuffed and overwhelmed. I didn't believe I would do this well although I put a lot of effort in."

Almost all of the pupils at independent schools in Brighton and Hove, which include Roedean, Brighton College, Brighton and Hove High School for Girls and St Mary's Hall, gained at least five passes.

Many of the state-funded schools also recorded their best results so far.

Cardinal Newman in Brighton recorded 65 per cent at five or more grades A* to C, Varndean had 61 per cent and Blatchington Mill had 62 per cent.

The results flew in the face of the national trend, where marks were down by 0.2 per cent on last year.

Geoff Ellis, headteacher at Longhill High School in Woodingdean, said: "Our exam results have gone up by four per cent on last year.

"The children have all worked very hard along with the staff and we have improved teaching and the support of children."

Carolyn Shaw, headteacher at Roedean, was delighted. All 69 candidates obtained at least seven A* to Cs.

She said: "They are very good. As always with results we look at individuals and there are some girls who have done extremely well.

"If you ask the girls whether they are getting easier they wouldn't say they are. Some things are easier for some of them but there are definitely challenges in there.

"GCSE requires attention to detail and gives a very good grounding."

Peter Evans at Cardinal Newman said the school's results were up three per cent on last year.

He said: "They are a lovely year group who have worked hard and really got what they deserved."

Tim Barclay at Hove Park said he had been slightly disappointed with their A* to C result of 39 per cent, which was a little down on last year, but was pleased with the overall pass rate, grades A* to G, which was up three per cent to 98.

He said: "I think there have been some extraordinary achievements. I was looking at some of the predicted grades and some pupils have really achieved beyond their expectations."

East Brighton College of Media Arts suffered a drop in its overall pass rate from 17 per cent last year to a provisional 13 per cent but there were some individual successes.

Kim Contreras, 16, who gained eight GCSES, mainly at A* to C, said: "I'm really pleased with my result. This is such an achievement for many people here and it's something to be proud of."

Elsewhere in the county, Lewes Old Grammar School recorded an A* to C pass rate of 97 per cent and an overall pass rate of 100 per cent.

Headteacher Robert Blewitt, who took up the post at Easter, said: "Obviously we are delighted with the results, particularly as 30 per cent of the grades were A or A*. It's all down to small class sizes and quality teaching.

"A lot of schools suggest they offer high levels of individual care but I am confident we deliver it."

At Ringmer Community College, 65.5 per cent of students got five or more A* to C grades and at Eastbourne College half the students achieved the same result.