BARRHEAD pupils are celebrating coming top of the class after producing some of their best-ever exam results.

Youngsters from Barrhead High and St Luke’s High were rewarded for all of their hard work as final Scottish Qualifications Authority marks showed the schools’ S4, S5 and S6 students had broken a number of records.

Scores of pupils gathered at the two schools today to congratulate each other as the results were released.

Fourth year students at Barrhead High recorded their best performance at National 5 level, with 61 per cent gaining five passes – an increase of 13 per cent.

The school’s S5 pupils also performed admirably, contributing towards the 184 youngsters across the region who achieved five or more Highers at grade A.

And at St Luke’s High, the departing year group produced the finest results the school has ever seen for the proportion of students who achieved one or more Advanced Highers.

Barrhead High pupil Ailidh Hamilton, 15, told of her joy after she secured nine National 5 grade As.

She said: “It’s amazing, I surprised myself with how well I did.

“I got a text and it was a lot better because my post doesn’t normally come until midday, so I would’ve been a nervous wreck.

“I think it’s a mixture of the effort the teachers put in and the effort the rest of my year put in. We’re all really happy with what we got.”

Classmate Erin Brown, 16, who achieved eight As and one B at National 5 level, added: “I didn’t think I would do as well as I did. I’m truly glad that all my hard work paid off.”

Councillor Paul O’Kane, East Renfrewshire’s convener for education and equalities, praised the region's youngsters for their efforts.

He said: “Once again the hard work of our pupils has paid off as they continue to raise the bar each year.”