Responding after students received their GCSE and VTQ (vocational technical qualification) results in Wales, Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders' union NAHT, said: “Students in Wales deserve our congratulations on their results across a wide range of qualifications.

"They have shown enormous resilience following the pandemic and these results reflect the hard work of themselves and of all school and college staff.

“Students’ achievements should in no way diminished by the move back towards pre-pandemic grading, which was always going to impact overall results and they are in no way comparable with previous years.

“They have excelled despite the disruption they have faced and this should be celebrated."