GWENT students were nervously opening their A-level results today which again showed it was another record breaking year for Wales.

The pass rate for Wales jumped 0.6% from 2002 to a new high of 96.4%, with A grades being awarded to 23% of entries - a rise of 1.5% on 2002. In Newport 98.9% of exam papers achieved grades A to E in WJEC exams, an increase of 1% on 2002, suggesting that the city's pupils are well above the Welsh average.

In Torfaen 97.8% of entries taking WJEC A-levels achi-eved A - E grades, in Caerp-hilly 97.7% and in Blaenau Gwent 94%. Results are awaited from Monmouthshire.

And 80.4% of entries achieved grades A to C in WJEC exams - an increase of 5% on 2002 and another record for the city.

Student Kimberly Harris turned up bright and early to Brynmawr Comprehen-sive - despite being up since 3am worrying about her future.

Kimberly took art, maths and physics and needed one A and two Bs to follow her dream of studying architecture at Cardiff University - achieving A grades in art and maths and a B in physics.

She said: "When I opened the results slip for the first time it was hard to make out what grades I'd got but when I saw them I was filled with relief.

"Now I'm really excited about university and will be organising things for the rest of the summer."

Girls continue to beat the boys and Welsh pupils scored higher than their English counterparts. The pass rate in England was 95.3%, while Wales got 96.4%.

Assembly minister for education Jane Davidson said it was a day of celebration and congratulation.