STUDENTS from Bridport and Beaminster are celebrating another set of outstanding A and AS-level results.

The Sir John Colfox and Beaminster schools’ Sixth Form partnership chalked up an impressive 48 per cent of their grades at A*, A or B for the third year running, well above the national average.

With over 23 per cent of grades at A*or A, and a pass rate nudging 98 per cent it was another impressive performance for the partnership.

Delighted Beaminster headteacher Mike Best said: “Our students have worked hard this year and it is extremely gratifying to see them fulfil their potential. These are demanding examinations and the students should be warmly congratulated for their success.

“Needless to say, such high standards not only reflect the work of the students but also that of the staff at Beaminster and Sir John Colfox, without whose devotion and commitment these results would not have been possible.”

Kay Taylor, head at Colfox, said: “These are excellent results at A-level yet again. We were particularly delighted that our students achieved so many A* grades. Newspapers were predicting that state schools would be likely to get only around five per cent of the A* grades and yet we more than doubled that with 11 per cent.

“However, the key thing about any results is whether the students achieve what they need to be able to go on to what they want to do.

“Students face even greater challenges this year with less university places but our students have again bucked the trend with almost all of them confirmed in the courses they want to follow, including four students heading to Oxford or Cambridge. The students have done themselves and their schools proud.”

Some of the students also completed an A-level a year early in Year 12.

Top performer at Colfox was Shipton Gorge teenager Nigel Robertshaw with four A*s and an A.

Other high achievers were: Henry Leathem 3A*, 1A; Oliver Pearse 3A*, 1A; Lucy Tweed 3A* 1A; Jackie Gape 2A*, 2A; Eleanor Pritchard 1A*, 2A, 1B; Emma Batchelor 1A*, 2A; Elaine Chapman 1A*, 1A, 1C; Bridie Cheeseman 1A*, 1A, 1B; Natalie Ferris 1A*, 1A, 1B; Nick Sandford-Smith 1A*, 1A, 1B; Caroline Milree 2A, 2B; Abigail Letherby 2A, 1B; Mercedes Ferguson 2A, 1B; James Tomlinson 1A*, 2B; Lauren Podger 1A*,1A, 1C.

There were also some outstanding results at AS level: Robert Condliffe, A at A2 PE 1A and 2Bs at AS; Dorothy Drayton A at A2 geography and 1A and 2Bs at AS; Jenny Dunford 2As and 1B at AS; Jess Haley A* at A2 geography, 2As and 1C at AS; Lucy Haley A at A2 geography, 2As and 1B at AS; Morgan Judd-English 3As & 1C at AS; Charlotte Rowen 3As and 1B at AS; Kristie Thacker A at A2 geography, 2As and 1B at AS; Emily Slate 2As, 1B and 1C at AS; Iga Kasparek 2As, 1B & 1C; Katie Wilde A at A2 geography 1A and 2Bs at AS.