Video: Exam results on a whole new level!

Students, staff and parents spoke of their delight at the grades as the pass rate rose once again.

Rob Watson, headteacher at Stratton Upper School, hailed the school’s 43 per cent A* to B pass rate .

Some 12 per cent of students also achieved at least two A grades.

He said: “Almost half of our Year 13 students have achieved the very highest grades, which is a wonderful achievement.

“When they were in Year 12 they performed very well and they have now surpassed that.”

There were many individual success stories at Stratton Upper.

Rosie Blanin achieved two A*s and two As, and will go onto study geography at Imperial College London.

Joe Colebrook was also among the high fliers, having gained three As and an A*.

Year 12 students also excelled with their AS results at the school.

Among the best performing students were triplets Adam, Beth and Taylor Jones, who achieved 10 As and two Bs between them.

Students spent much of yesterday morning comparing their grades and checking to see if they could now confirm their places at university.

Sam Smith, 18, achieved A grades in maths, biology and English literature and a B in French.

He said: “I going on to study law at Manchester University.”

Also celebrating was Callum Stevenson, 19.

Callum had resat exams in two subjects to improve his grades and now has As in maths and finance and Bs in history and English.

He said: “I will be going to the University of Gloucestershire to study pop music.”

And there was good news for Conor Black, who lives in Biggleswade and attends Hitchin Boys’ School. Conor achieved three A*s and two As.

There was also much reason for celebration at Samuel Whitbread Academy in Clifton, where the overall A to E pass rate increased to 99 per cent, up one per cent from last year.

The A to C pass rate was 70 per cent. Principal Rob Robson said: “I am delighted that while our Sixth Form is becoming ever more popular and expanding we have improved our results in every area.”

Head of Sixth Form Nishi Saran praised A-level and AS students alike. He said: “As always we are delighted with the many students who have achieved at the highest level.

“We are also very pleased with those who are going onto university or in some cases great training opportunities and apprenticeships with companies.”

Success stories included Ian McFarlane, who gained two A*s, an A and a B.

Ian has gained a place at Oxford to read maths.

Hannah Conway will study sociology at the London School of Economics after achieving one A*, two As and a B. Another outstanding student was Hannah Coster, who gained one A* and two As, and will read sociology at York.

The Barnfield Federation, which runs Sandy Upper School, was unable to provide a statement on the school’s results before the Chronicle went to press.