TEENAGERS in Huntingdonshire have played their part in another record-breaking year of A-level results. With the pass rate up for the 25th consecutive year, many teenagers are celebrating getting into their chosen university. At Abbey College, Ramsey, hea

TEENAGERS in Huntingdonshire have played their part in another record-breaking year of A-level results.

With the pass rate up for the 25th consecutive year, many teenagers are celebrating getting into their chosen university.

At Abbey College, Ramsey, head teacher Wayne Birks was celebrating a 97 per cent pass rate at A-level in the first year since amalgamation with Ailwyn School.

He said: "I am very pleased indeed with our first set of A-level results. Staff and students have worked very hard in the first year of the new school and these results reflect their combined efforts."

Top performers at Abbey College included Helen Ayres, who achieved 3 A grades and a C, and will take her place at Oxford University, studying engineering sciences.

At the St Ivo School in St Ives, the pass rate at A-C grades was at its highest ever level of 76.5 per cent, while the overall pass rate was 98.3 per cent.

Chloe Goodwin was among the top performers at the school, achieving four A grades in English, Biology, History and Politics.

Kimbolton School achieved an impressive pass rate of 99.9 per cent with only one student failing one exam.

Top of the class was head boy Oliver Bridge who as well as achieving A grades in economics, politics and maths also achieved a score of 598 out of 600 on his economics paper, the highest pass rate ever achieved at the school.

He is going to Oxford University to study philosophy and economics. A total of 27 students or just over a third of the year group achieved straight A grades.

The total number of A or B grades was up again this year from 71.9 per cent to 76.1 per cent.

Jonathan Belbin, head teacher at Kimbolton School said they were the best set of results the school had ever achieved and believed the pupils had worked "incredibly hard to achieve them."

Longsands College in St Neots saw its proportion of A to C grades increase from 71.8 per cent to 76.3 per cent but its overall pass rate dropped from a record breaking 98.1 per cent last year to 96.1 per cent this year.

Head teacher Robert Whatmough said "he was delighted with the results" and wished the students "every success for the future."

Top of the class was Dominic Lague who as well as achieving A and B grades at A Level was also the first pupil to ever have sat an AEA or an advanced A-level at the school and went on to achieve a distinction.

Hinchingbrooke School in Huntingdon also saw a raise in results with four of their straight A grade students securing places at Oxford University and another three set to study medicine at various universities across the UK.

One of the top performers was Elianna Tacconi who achieved all A grades and is going to St John's University in Oxford to study biological sciences.

At St Neots Community College, the overall pass rate was 95 per cent, with a 49 per cent pass rate at A-C grade.

At Huntingdonshire Regional College, every student passed their exams. The college had a total of 15 entries, some of which were AS levels.

Most of the passes were A-C grades in either dance or art and design subjects.

At St Peter's School in Huntingdon the pass rate was down to 82 per cent, but head teacher Val Ford was quick to point out many pupils had achieved the grades they needed.

She said: "Being a small year group, one failed subject can significantly skew the figures, but the majority of our students have done extremely well.

"Our AS level results have also been very good which is extremely encouraging for next year."

Sisters Sarah and Lisa Sabir were among the top performers in the school, with Sarah achieving four A-levels to take her place at Leicester University, studying biochemistry.

Lisa, at 17 a year younger, achieved four A grades and a B in her AS levels and will be sitting full A-levels next year.

While the majority of pupils achieved the grades they required, there were Connexions and UCAS officers on hand to give advice and guidance for those with unexpected results.

As ever, the increased pass rate has led to claims from some quarters that A-levels are getting easier.

However, Howard Gilbert, head teacher of St Ivo School, said that such claims were unfair on the hard work put in by pupils.

"People break the 100 metres record on a regular basis but no-one says that is getting any easier," he said.

"Pupils and teachers are getting better at preparing themselves for exams and there is increased investment in schools, with more focus on academic results.

"A lot of hard work goes into achieving these results, from both staff and pupils."

INFORMATION: Young people aged 13-19 can get advice from Connexions Cambridgeshire on 0800 561 3219. University applicants can get independent and confidential advice from the UCAS results helpline on 0808 100 8000.