HARD-WORKING teenagers are celebrating A-Level success after picking up their results.

Most schools across Colchester saw an improvement on last year’s results, bucking the national trend, which saw a fall in pass rates for the first time in more than 30 years.

Colchester County High School for Girls boasted a 100 per cent pass rate, with 43 per cent of students at achieving at least three As.

Headteacher Gillian Marshall said: “We are extremely proud of our students.

“This is an outstanding set of results. Congratulations are sent to all associated with this remarkable achievement.”

Abigail Stubbs, 18, (pictured on the frontpage) collected 3A*s and will be studying medicine at Leister.

She said: “I’m pretty shocked.

“I wasn’t expecting to do quite as well as I did.”

The average results sheet at Colchester Royal Grammar School read 4A*s, with 93 per cent of all grades being A*, A or B.

Headteacher Ken Jenkinson said: “This year’s students have done brilliantly and are to be congratulated on their outstanding achievements.

“I expected the grades to take a bit of a dip this year, with the removal of the January modules, but they have held up remarkably well.

“This year group has been full of character, really supportive of each other and good fun. We will miss them.”

The school’s top performer this year was Libera Zi-Zai Assini, who got an impressive eight A*s and 3As.

She said: “Taking so many subjects is a bit of a risk. I hadn’t counted them all up. I didn’t realise there were quite so many.”

She started sixth form with five subjects, but decided to pick extras during the two years.

Gazette:

                                           Libera Zi-Zai Assini

She will be going to Oxford to study philosophy, politics and economics.

Colchester Sixth Form College is celebrating a 98 per cent pass rate, with almost 50 per cent of grades A* to B.

Principal Ian MacNaughton said: “Students achieved outstanding results in this summer’s examination series.

“Levels of achievement are excellent and above national average levels.”

Thurstable School had a pass rate of 99 per cent, with 78 per cent A* to C – an improvement on last year.

Headteacher Miles Bacon said: “This is a terrific set of results and was hard earned by our students and staff. They have made all of us at Thurstable very proud.”

Colne Community College also had an 100 per cent pass rate in ALevels, BTECs and vocational subjects.

Executive Principal Nardeep Sharma said “I am delighted all the Colne VI Form College students’ and teachers’ hard work has culminated in a successful group of results.

“The VI Form College is growing and these results reflect the hard work of students and the skill of our teachers in successfully preparing them for A-Levels and BTEC alike. Congratulations to all involved”.

See tomorrow's Gazette for a six-page special on results day including interviews with students from schools across the town.