City results ahead of national average as pupils celebrate

SWANSEA pupils were yesterday celebrating GCSE results which are again well above those for Wales.

- RICHARD YOULE

The figures show 22.2 % of city pupils gained A* and A grades in their WJEC subjects, which is better than the 19.5% for those in Wales as a whole.

More than 65% of students achieved the higher grades of A* to C in 26 of the 38 different subjects.

A total of 97.4 % of GCSE subject entries in Swansea were passed (grades A* to G) which tops the Welsh pass rate for 2025 of 96.9 %.

As a tight-head prop, rugby player Ben Copp is used to getting his head down and it paid off as the Cefn Hengoed Community School pupil's hard graft was rewarded on GCSE results day.

He was thrilled with his better-than-expected haul of two A-stars, including history, three As and one B.

“I was not expecting this to be honest,” said the 16-year-old. “I’m feeling brilliant. I could not have asked for more - this is something else.”

Ben, of Winch Wen, said he had revised a lot and his efforts have paid off. Outside of school he plays rugby for Birchgrove RFC and also goes to the gym and does a bit of running.

In September he’s going to Gower College Swansea to study history, law and politics A level at the Gorseinon campus.

Cefn Hengoed Community School, Winch Wen, has more than 900 pupils and was a mixture of nerves, relief and other emotions as envelopes were opened on August 21.

Lexi Hanford’s results were a little different to her predictions, but her overall verdict was: “It's fine.”