IT was a day of smiles and surprises as Swindon's teenagers received their GCSE results.

Nationally more pupils failed their GCSEs than last year, leading one headteacher to suggest pupils take more work-related courses instead.

The gap between boys and girls closed dramatically in the town, with Commonweal and Kingsdown schools reporting girls, who traditionally outperform boys by up to 10 per cent, were just a few points ahead.

And Headlands School capped a traumatic year by breaking through the 20 per cent barrier of pupils gaining more than five GCSEs of grade C or above.

Head John Wells, who was stripped of control of his school's finances and recruitment at the end of the school year in July, has now presided over a rise of 100 per cent in his three years in charge.

Fewer pupils would take GCSEs under proposals made by Ridgeway headteacher Elizabeth Cooper to ensure all children get the most out of school. Pupils who expressed an interest in, for example, mechanics, could study work-related courses instead of the more academic GCSE qualification.

Mrs Cooper made her comments on the day national results showed an increase in the number of pupils failing GCSEs.

"It is important students can take qualifications that suit their aptitude," she said. "In future, education will be more tailored to what pupils want to do. I would rather have fewer pupils taking GCSEs but all students taking courses right for them.

"GCSEs still provide a worthwhile challenge to many pupils, but we are just as interested in offering practical and work-related qualifications to our students as well. That way we can ensure that everyone achieves in compulsory education."

Cledwyn Davies, Swindon Council's assistant director of education, said: "It is very pleasing to see successes for so many students and across our schools.

"It is a real reflection of their hard work and efforts. It displays the partnership between students, teachers and parents that delivers success across Swindon."

Mr Davies also spoke of the success in closing the gap between boys and girls.

Girls have traditionally outperformed boys, but several Swindon schools reported that the gap had closed to just a few percentage points.

"Traditionally girls have been six to 10 per cent ahead of boys and if that gap has closed then it's as a result of a lot of hard work on the issue of boys underachievement," he said.

"It is something the LEA has been working with schools on. If this is reflected across all of our schools then it will be a major achievement."