THERE was plenty to celebrate at Sidmouth College yesterday when A level students received top-notch results.Although the level of A and B grades remained around the 40 per cent mark – similar to last year – the percentage of all grades awarded from A to E passes rose to 97.5 per cent, up from 94 per cent in 2007.

THERE was plenty to celebrate at Sidmouth College yesterday when A level students received top-notch results.

Although the level of A and B grades remained around the 40 per cent mark - similar to last year - the percentage of all grades awarded from A to E passes rose to 97.5 per cent, up from 94 per cent in 2007.

Among those celebrating was Sammy Kingdon, who scored four A grades, in biology, chemistry, geography and maths.

Alice Charlton claimed three straight As in biology, chemistry and geography.

Sammy, 18, said: "It is a relief, it has not yet sunk in. I have accepted a place at Birmingham University to do a medicine course."

Alice, also 18, said: "It has been hard work, but good fun at the same time. The teachers are really supportive."

The girls spent three weeks of their summer holidays teaching English to children in Thailand and Alice plans a gap year before deciding which university to apply to next year.

Other excellent individual performances came from Jess Morrish, with AAB grades, Oliver Green, with ABB, Ellen Randall, with ABB and Michael Johnston with similar ABB grades, who will study civil engineering at Birmingham.

College principal David Birch was on hand to congratulate students at A and AS level as they received their grades.

He said: "I am delighted for this group of students, who have worked extremely hard for these grades.

"These results reflect the success of Sidmouth College's sixth form in catering for students of all levels of ability.

"A levels are very demanding and it is gratifying to see our high achieving students perform as well as any in the country, thanks to their efforts and the hard work of their teachers.

"I am also very pleased for those students for whom gaining an A level pass is a real achievement.

"Out of 120 A level entries - an average of three per student - only three were unclassified and no student left the sixth form with nothing."

He said a reason for this was the effective tutorial system that monitored students' progress against their targets.

"As in recent years, we expect the vast majority of these students to have achieved the grades they need for their university and college courses."