A LEVEL results day brought celebrations at Sidmouth College.

There were more tears of joy than sadness when 120 AS and A2 students headed to the Primley Road college on Thursday, as 45 per cent of entrants gained grades A* to C. The average points per student were up on last year, from 615 – or three Cs – to 730, three Bs.

Among the top achievers was Will Murrell, 17, of Newlands Road, with A* (maths), A (physics) and B (IT) at A2 level. He is off to Warwick University to study engineering.

“I’m especially pleased as I got full marks in the final maths module,” he said.

Rosie Sinclair, 18, got an A* in Art, A in geography and B in physics, earning a place at Oxford Brookes University studying architecture.

“When I was younger I wanted a house with secret passages, like in the Harry Potter stories, and thought architecture was the best way to do that,” she said.

For Charlie Gwillim, 18, her textiles A* will help her acheive her dream career as a costume designer, via an art foundation course at Exeter College.

Georgia Reading, 18, of Woolbrook Road, received a bursary to study Egyptology at Swansea University thanks to three A2 As (psychology, sociology and history).

Three Cs got Matthew Broom, of Manstone Avenue, on to a physics and astrophysics course at Hull - a far cry from his Year 11 work experience placement with the Herald’s photographers.

Sixth form head Sue Hurley was proud of the youngsters.

“I took over half way through the year and it’s not been an easy time, but they’ve worked hard and done well,” she said.

Senior vice-principal Julie Capewell attributed the success to closer monitoring of the subjects the students choose and their progress.

“There’s much more data to guide us on how students will do,” she said. “Today is certainly a cause for celebration.”

In another tale of Sidmouth success, Lucy Slott gained two As and one B at the Maynard School in Exeter, and is off to study Philosophy at Cardiff.