St Joseph's RC School is celebrating after two of its star pupils were ranked in the country's top five.

Joanna Segesser and Claudia Woszczyk, both 16, gained two of the highest possible marks in Religious Education and English, respectively.

Claudia triumphed against almost 400,000 other pupils to enter the top five in the country in English. Joanna beat around 50,000 to be in the top five in RE.

Overall seven girls and one boy at St Joseph's bagged straight As.

Joanna gained eight A*s in other subjects and Claudia gained five A*s and six As in total.

Maureen Harries, deputy head teacher, said: "It is excellent news that these girls were ranked so highly in the country.

"And across the board generally, we have done exceptionally well.

Mrs Harries expects the pass rate to top last year's 56 per cent.

She said: "Both the staff and the pupils have worked extremely hard to get these results."

She added that she expects around 85 of the 196 pupils who sat the exams, to progress onto the sixth form.

Mrs Harries dismissed suggestions that the exams are getting easier.

"The old style O-Levels were not skill-based. GCSEs these days are a lot more testing.

"It is awful that every year students who have worked hard have to hear these reports. It is very demeaning for them."