STUDENTS across Flintshire are celebrating after scoring another outstanding set of A-level results.

Thousands of youngsters nervously peeled open their envelopes yesterday morning and discovered whether their hard work had paid off.

Many schools recorded their best ever results and it was a day of celebration and joy, although early indications are that the overall pass rate dipped slightly from 2010.

Flintshire Council said figures from the Welsh Joint Education Committee (WJEC) showed the overall pass rate was 97.8 per cent, down from 99.4 per cent last year.

However, Flintshire exceeded the national pass rate of 97.2 per cent.

Almost 20 per cent of entries resulted in A* or A grades, up from 17.5 per cent in 2010, but lower than the all-Wales figure of 23.9 per cent.

The council expects the figures to rise when results in the Welsh Baccalaureate and from other examination boards are added.

Ian Budd, Flintshire’s director of lifelong learning, said: “Having received the information for entries with the WJEC examination board, the council joins with parents, guardians and schools in celebrating their A-level results and warmly congratulates all the students and their teachers on their hard work and commitment.

“Flintshire’s students have worked hard to pursue demanding programmes of study. I am delighted for all of them and wish them every success as they build on these results in their future higher education, training and career pathways.”

Cllr Nigel Steele-Mortimer, executive member for lifelong learning, said the results were “good news” for the county.

“These results clearly reflect the dedication that Flintshire’s students show towards their studies,” he said.

“I congratulate them all and commend their teachers and parents for their support.”