PUPILS are celebrating their A-level results at The King's School in Chester.

The students arrived bright and early to open the envelopes telling them if their hard work during the last two years has paid off.

Of the 106 students, 45 achieved all A*/A grades and most will now be heading off to their first choice university, including six girls and two boys to Oxford and Cambridge.

Eight students have confirmed places to study medicine, dentistry or veterinary science. Bucking the national trend, girls have come out on top this year with a quarter of their grades at A*, almost two thirds at A*/A and just under 90% A*-B grade.

Overall, 87% of grades amongst girls and boys were graded A*-B for the third consecutive year, with 61% at A*-A grade.

Headteacher George Hartley said: “The students have done brilliantly well to achieve this superb set of results. They have been an absolute pleasure to work with as an exceptionally hard working and wonderfully cohesive year group.

"I know their teachers will also be delighted, having supported them through thick and thin.

"What makes such academic achievement even more impressive is the fact that the students are so busy with various other, character-forming activities at school. There are four, top-performing international athletes in the year group, for instance, all of whom, have achieved straight A/A* grades.

"I am really proud of the independent, confident and aspirational young people they have become and I look forward to hearing about their future successes as they head off to a wide range of top university courses across the country.”

In addition to their A-level course, 27 students also studied the Extended Project (EPQ) with 96% of these being graded A*-A. Congratulations go to the following students: Owen Edwards, Aditya Iyer and Tom Ramsbottom who achieved 3A* and 1A grades. Olivia Wade-Jones and Robert Clark both achieved 3 A* grades.

Amelia Standing and Kieran Kumar gained 2 A* and 2 A grades, with Roberto King receiving 2 A*, 1A and 1B grades.

The following students achieved 2 A* and 1 A grades: Isabel Beardwood, Emily Cresswell, Lottie Cousins, Olivia-Grace Faux, Megan Gareh, Rhiannon Jackson, Anna Jones, Oliver Kidd, Chloe Morgan and Joseph Shanley.