Nine of Oldham's 13 academies improved their GCSE results this year, bucking a national trend where results remained virtually unchanged. The borough's overall score for students achieving strong passes in English and maths rose by three percentage points to 40.9%.

Across Oldham, 56.2% of students achieved Grade 4 or above in both English and maths, with 36% achieving Grade 5 or above in the two subjects.

Top performers across Oldham schools

The Radclyffe School achieved its best-ever percentage of students reaching Grade 7 or above in both English and maths, at 12.8%.

Oasis Academy Leesbrook saw an increase in the number of students achieving the highest grades, with more students securing Grades 7 and above compared to last year. Principal Andrea Mitchell said: "We are particularly pleased to see an increase in the number of students achieving Grades 7 and above, and I want to congratulate every student on their achievements."

E-ACT The Oldham Academy North celebrated record results this year, with more Grade 9s in the academy's history.

Sulaiman Akram, an ambassador for the E-ACT multi-academy trust, achieved nine grade 9s, two Grade 8s and a Grade 7. The deputy head prefect will go on to study biochemistry and maths and is aspiring towards a career in medicine. "It's about working hard and believing in yourself," he said.

Donatella Adair achieved a Distinction in Sport at E-Act The Oldham Academy North and is one step closer to her dream of becoming a professional footballer.

Hamza Hussain and Tasnem Sneha both achieved eight Grade 9s and three Grade 8s while pursuing careers in medicine. Zaim Khan achieved a set of results including a Grade 9 in Further Maths while heading for a career in Finance and Accountancy.

At North Chadderton School, results in English saw over 80 per cent of students securing a Grade 4 or above. The school also celebrated excellent results in Drama, Design Technology, Film Studies, Child Development, Health and Social, IT, and Food Preparation and Nutrition.

Headteacher John Cregg said: "Results day is about much more than grades. Behind every result is a young person who has worked hard, faced challenges and taken another important step towards their future."