TALENTED students of all ages were celebrating success on GCSE Results Day yesterday, including a 52-year-old who wanted to show his children anything is possible.

Nearly three in 10 students across England were awarded the top grades - at least a 7 (equivalent to an A) - on Thursday.

The data, from the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), also showed this is just over 26 per cent up from last summer.

Only a fifth (20.8 per cent) of entries received a 7 grade or above in 2019, the last time exams were held before the pandemic.

The story of the day in Bradford was 52-year-old Husam Alasttal.

The evergreen student battled through personal heartache to achieve an outstanding grade 8 in Maths at Bradford College.

Mr Alasttal first came to the UK in 2010 and admitted he loved maths, but was unable to study due to his situation with the home office.

But he enrolled at Bradford College and didn't look back, despite juggling working, looking after his children and studying.

Mr Alasttal said: "I'm excited, happy.

"First of all, for myself, second to encourage my children - age is a number, how to prove for yourself, you can do something."

The 52-year-old has seven children in total and said he knows people struggle with Maths, so wanted to show his own family you can achieve anything, no matter what you go through.

Mr Alasttal said: "They will study more and more.

"Show them you have to work hard to finish.

"You have work, children, studying.

"My father passed away in March, I said I can't finish it, but I finished it."

Meanwhile, Tobias Ward, 35, was visibly ecstatic at taking a step closer to achieving his long term goal of becoming a nurse or midwife.

Mr Ward was awarded two 7s (one in Higher Biology) and a 4 (equivalent of a pass).

The 35-year-old found out his results online in the morning, but took a lunch break on a 14 hour shift at his full-time job to collect his grades in person at Bradford College.

He said: "I was quite shocked to be honest when I checked this morning.

"While doing this, I worked full time.

"Next year I'm hoping to do an access to Midwifery and Nursing course at Bradford College.

"A big six foot midwife, with tattoos.

"I watched three of mine being born, 13, 10 and four.

"I did education in Ireland and didn't really do very well."

The number of students in England scoring a clean sweep of the highest grade (9) in their GCSEs this summer has also increased - by more than a third in a year.

Figures published by exams regulator Ofqual showed the number of 16-year-olds in the country taking at least seven GCSEs achieving a clean sweep of straight 9s in all subjects has risen by 36 per cent from 2020.

Four top-class rowers at Bradford Grammar School managed to balance their extra-curricular activities and achieve a clean-sweep of the top grade.

Alasdair Clarke, 15, of Horsforth, James Burke, 16, of Ilkley, Tzavier Thornber, 16, of Brighouse and Elise Stanton-Davies, 16, of Huddersfield, were all awarded straight 9s in every subject they studied.

Overall, 56 per cent of students at BGS were awarded top grades of 9/8, 77 per cent secured sought-after 9-7 grades and a massive 99 per cent at least passed their subjects (9-4).

Olivia Tankoua, 16, got one 9 (in History), three 8s, four 7s and one 6.

She said: "I'm really happy.

"It's better than what I expected.

"It's just a relief really."

The 16-year-old added she will be going on to study Maths, Economics, Chemistry and History at BGS Sixth Form next.

She is not set on what her career might be, but is aiming to get into university.

That is also the goal for friend and namesake, Olivia Wasley, 16, who would like study something involving sport - potentially physiotherapy.

She achieved one 8 (in Design and Technology), five 7s, three 6s and a 5.

Olivia said: "I'm very happy and relieved that the last two years are all over."

She added that it was difficult not having face-to-face learning during the pandemic, but that their teachers were very supportive.

Eleanor Ady, 16, of Dixons McMillan Academy, actually felt studying at home eventually meant she was working harder.

She achieved three 8s, with the rest of her subjects graded with 9s.

Eleanor said: "Covid was difficult to motivate myself when it was just me and no one else in the room, doing all that work.

""I ended up doing a lot of extra work because I couldn't tell where I was in relation to everyone else."

The 16-year-old is "really excited" for the future now and will study Biology, Geography and Maths at Trinity Sixth Form Academy, in Halifax, with the hope of making it to a Russell Group university down the line.

No algorithm was used this year to moderate grades.

Instead, schools and colleges were asked to provide samples of student work to exam boards, as well as evidence used to determine the grades for the students selected.

Less than 1 per cent of all GCSE and A-Level grades were changed in the process.