CLYDEBANK pupils have shared their pride and relief at receiving outstanding results for their courses.

Last week, youngsters in fourth, fifth and sixth year got their qualifications based on class performance and prelim exams after Scottish exams were cancelled for the first time in history.

Despite controversy over 125,000 results being marked down across Scotland, there were also many success stories.

Abbie Doogan, 15, and Joel Stephen, 17, both at St Peter the Apostle High, passed with the grades needed for them to continue on their chosen learning paths. Abbie will now go on to study her Highers, while Joel has been accepted into Strathclyde University to study product design engineering.

Abbie achieved six As in her National 5s and will now study English, maths, chemistry, biology and graphic design at Higher. The Scottish trampolining champion hopes to be a sports physiotherapist so is aiming for five As next year and a place at Glasgow Caledonian University.

She told the Post: “I was so proud of myself when the grades came in, though I had been expecting good results.

“My mum and dad were really happy and all my friends got the grades they wanted too so we went to my friend’s house and had dinner to celebrate on Tuesday night.

“My sister did really well when she sat her exams, she got four As and a B in her Highers, so the pressure is definitely on.”

Read more: Third of West Dunbartonshire pupil results will be marked up after 'burning injustice' of SQA system

Abbie said she was anxious about studying towards her Highers in a blended learning or home schooling model. She said it would be incredibly difficult to learn in some of the more “hands-on” subjects without the equipment and teaching support.

She is looking forward to returning to school this week with her friends and having some routine back after five months of no school.

Joel also achieved impeccable results in his Advanced Highers and Highers, achieving As at Advanced Higher maths and chemistry, an A in Higher administration and a B in Higher design and manufacturing.

He had already received an unconditional offer to study for a bachelor’s degree at Strathclyde but depended on receiving another A at Higher level to secure the masters offer.

Joel said he was excited to move on to university and has friends from school who have also attended at Strathclyde.

He said: “I’m so relieved that I got the grades I wanted, I did okay last year but had not tried as hard so when the exams were cancelled this year I felt upset because I had made such an effort to study and apply myself this year.

“I got two As and three Bs in my Highers, so I had planned to prove to myself that I could do better so I got good results in my prelims which I think really helped.

“I know some people didn’t try so hard in the prelims and then they felt they never got the opportunity to pull the finger out in the May exams, but all my friends have had an offer for uni so we are pleased.”

West Dunbartonshire Council last week said almost every pupil achieved one or more SQA qualification.