As students laughed and hugged outside Yavneh College, Borehamwood, last Thursday, it was clear the day also belonged to their proud parents, who had no doubt shared in the long spell of revision, stress, and quick-fire exam questions over breakfast and dinner.

Samantha Berman, whose daughter Hollie attained seven A*s and three As, said she was “very proud and very happy”.

“The first thought I had this morning was how proud my dad would have been to see Hollie’s achievements,” she said. “I wish he were here today.”

Hollie added that the day’s results had been at the forefront of her mind, and had haunted her all summer.
“I watched The Great British Bake Off last night to calm myself,” she said.

Rochelle Boyne said she was delighted to see her son, Oliver, perform the best in the year, achieving all A*s.

“It’s a relief for me as well as for him,” she said. “But he has always been a high achiever, so I am not too surprised.”

Mothers Lisa Goldberg and Michelle Werb also revelled in the joy of the day. Ms Goldberg said it was “a nice feeling to think of all their new adventures to come”, while Ms Werb revealed she had been just as nervous that morning, after her daughter had made her look first at the results.

Meanwhile, with their results in the bag, pupils looked forward to the next step.

Miri Shiradski, who attained eight A*s and three As, said her high marks had convinced her to take five A-levels next year. “I did well in physics, biology and chemistry, so I’ve decided to keep studying them all, as well as maths and geography,” she said.

For Adam Freedman, his four A*s and six As were only half the reason for his happiness. “It just feels amazing to know I’ll never be doing sciences again,” he said. “I would burn my notes, but it’s bad for the environment. I’ll put them in the recycling bin instead.”

As for Hudi Charin, her achievements meant she could “finally focus on sixth form”, something she had not allowed herself to do before for fear of not getting in.

The 16-year-old, who gained eight A*s and two As, said: “I’m excited because we get to do the subjects we love. And we also wear our own clothes – so I am now going shopping.”