Record A-level results lead to celebrations

Despite the doom and gloom about future job prospects, a lack of university places and ruinous student debt levels, staff and students were all smiles at South Coast College Hastings and the William Parker/Helenswood federal sixth form with a whopping 99 per cent pass rate at both - a record average for the town.

At the federal sixth form, based in Parkstone Road, parents and pupils started arriving at 8.30am, despite the results not being released until 10am. There were hugs, high fives and tears when the envelopes were finally torn open.

Joe Biggs, 18, was reeling after getting two As and a B, which secured his place at Edinburgh University to study infectious diseases.

"This is totally unexpected," he said. "Is this real?"

Among the star performers, Lil Read, 18, got four As and an A*, and was waiting for confirmation of her place at Cambridge to read natural sciences. "It is brilliant, it makes all the hard work worthwhile, and my parents are thrilled," she said. "I will be going out with my friends tonight, to start enjoying student life!"

Andrew Bunt, Catherine Jeffries, Greg Page, Jessica Potts and James Green also swept the board with As and A* grades only.

Students were also picking up AS-level grades.

Twins Ellie and Eve Booth, 17, were delighted after getting two As, a B and a C, and two As and a C respectively.

"It has been quite stressful in the house with us both doing exams. I thought we would be more competitive but we are so pleased for each other," said Ellie.

At the college's Academy 6, 47 per cent of the 86 students achieved A*, A or B grades.

Kelly Williams, 18, was thrilled with her A and two Bs. She said: "It was better than I expected because I was really hoping to get Bs. I am very proud, in a non vain-y way.

"You cannot think about all the reports of people not going to get in to university, you just have to think about yourself and do the best you can."

She is going to study primary education at Canterbury University, the same degree as 19-year-old Hayley Mitchell, who is off to Chichester.

She got two Bs and an A* in graphics, introduced this year for the first time. "My teacher said I might be on course for an A* but it does not really hit you until you see it in black and white," she said. "It was horrible waiting this morning, I couldn't eat anything and your parents go through it as much as you do."

Harry Sedgwick got two As and a B, but with universities asking for higher grades than ever, he missed out on his place at Queen Mary University in London to read dentistry.

"The course used to be three Bs but it has risen so much in the past few years. I will go through clearing and will find a different path to get to university."

Devin Greenwood got a B, C and two Ds and will go to Portsmouth to read geography in September. He hit out at the negative media coverage but was full of praise for the college. "It is not very nice to do all that hard work and be told that you have done an easy exam.

'The teachers here are great and this college should become the backbone of the community. It is one of the best things to have happened to this area and it will benefit generations to come."