Lancing high school Sir Robert Woodard Academy celebrates its best A-level results yet

This year saw a return to more usual exam arrangements following two years of cancelled exams and Centre Assessed Grades – and students rose to the challenge, the academy said.

Kieran Scanlon, principal, said: "We are absolutely thrilled to see the excellent results today. They are thoroughly deserved by our W6 students, who took the exam season in their stride, despite not having had the opportunity to sit formal examinations in their GCSE year.

"Their hard work really has been rewarded, with well-deserved excellent results. We are delighted that so many are moving on to their chosen destinations, including many top universities.”

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There were again numerous examples of excellent student performance. Head student Lewis Power achieved a stunning three A*s in psychology, biology and chemistry. As a result, he is off to Kings’ College London to study medicine.

Lewis said: "Crazy. I can’t believe it. I’d been thinking about this all summer and now it’s here I can’t believe it.”

Dylan Sadler also impressed with an A* in mathematics and two As in biology and chemistry, which sees him securing a place to study human sciences at the prestigious University College of London.

Emma Shuttleworth, who has recently secured a role as a technical support officer for the City of London, was delighted with her results of Distinction* in digital media, an A in philosophy and ethics, and a B in geography.

The school said there was no doubt that Charlotte Johnson would perform well. She managed to balance her studies with 5am daily swimming training sessions in preparation for national competitions. Her distinction* in BTEC sport, coupled with Bs in psychology and biology has meant she is off to Swansea University to embark on a degree in sport and exercise science.

Other notable achievements include Vinnie Orford with AAB in mathematics, biology and chemistry, Ella Kwong with ABB in mathematics, philosophy and ethics, and physics. Molly Dollner scored ABB in English Literature, geography and philosophy and ethics.

Some great individual performances in creative subjects included Cam Skinner with two Distinction* in digital media and performing arts. He has his eye on a career in marketing and has begun an 18-month marketing internship with Apple.

Mark Monahan, assistant principal for W6, said: "students have done fantastically. We are so proud of what they have achieved as a result of all their hard work and determination.

"It is wonderful to see so many of them secure their first-choice placements at top universities, as well as exciting apprenticeships and training places.

"Our sixth form continues to grow as a centre for academic excellence and we can’t wait to see our current students in years 7-11 move through into W6.”

Academic results continued to grow with almost half of students achieving an A or a B. One in five students was awarded an A or A*.

In English Literature, 100 per cent of students achieved top grades of A, and biology and chemistry saw two-thirds of students achieving an A or a B. Two-thirds of students scored an A or B in mathematics, with almost a third achieving an A or A*. Half of psychology students achieved an A or B, and 80 per cent of philosophy and ethics students did the same.

The performing arts and creative qualifications remain a real strength of the academy, with students achieving excellent results, two-thirds securing grades of Distinction and Distinction*. In performing arts, 83 per cent aced a Distinction or Distinction*, 75 per cent of digital media students walked away with top grades of Distinction*, half the music students struck the right chord with a Distinction or higher, and dancers waltzed out with Distinction or Distinction*.

The number of students progressing on to ambitious university courses across the country continues to impress. Some notable courses this year include medicine, astrophysics and cosmology, veterinary medicine, sports therapy, mechanical engineering, mathematics, criminology, history and accounting and finance, to name but a few.