A-LEVEL students at Woodroffe School, Lyme Regis were yesterday celebrating an impressive set of results, with 40 per cent of them achieving A or B grades.

The overall pass rate for A-levels at the school was 97 percent, up one per cent from last year and above the national average of 96 percent.

Dr Richard Steward, principal, said: "I am delighted with these results.

"All our students worked incredibly hard this year and it is a pleasure to see them achieve the results they deserve."

Outstanding individual performances came from Richard Bugler, who secured himself a place at Cambridge studying medicine, with three As and two Bs.

Jenna Waugh will be joining Richard at Cambridge to study History of Art, having bagged four straight As, while others including Rosie Wiscombe, Tom McCoy, Karolyn Mandy and Abigail Jenkin all scored highly with As and Bs.

Dr Steward said it had become fashionable to bemoan the decline in standards at A-level, but todays examinations were very different to those of the past and the demands were significantly greater.

He said students sat more exams and had to work consistently throughout the two year period to gain higher grades.

He said: "I have great admiration for those young people who are able to navigate such a complex and demanding examinations system successfully."

He added: "Such high standards not only reflect the work of the students but highlight the dedication and commitment of the staff at Woodroffe who work tirelessly to ensure that the students in their calls fulfil their potential."