New A-level high for happy students

Students in Wolverhampton and South Staffordshire are celebrating another year of record A-level results.

Sixth formers across the region were today picking up results, amid warnings of intense pressure on university places.

Wolverhampton University had already received more than 1,000 calls from students within an hour of its clearing hotline opening at 7am - four times the number during the same time last year.

Students at Ounsdale High, Wombourne, were celebrating the school's best results.

Almost half of pupils gained A*, A and B grades, while the school boasts an overall pass rate of 98 per cent.

Headteacher Christine Brown said: "This is a fantastic achievement for the school and I am so proud that the efforts of students and staff have been rewarded with such a fabulous set of results."

Twins Victoria and Daniela Fasolino were among the top performers.

Victoria gained A* in English literature and sociology, as well as A grades in Italian and chemistry. Her sister Daniela gained A grades in English literature, history, Italian and sociology.

Brian Griffiths, assistant head at Pendeford Business and Enterprise College, in Fordhouses, said they were delighted with the results, which will see 35 out of 45 students head to university.

Jos Ashley, assistant head at Heath Park Business and Enterprise College, said: "We're very pleased with the number of pupils who have been accepted to their first or second choice university."

At the Royal Wolverhampton School, in Penn Road, two pupils have achieved top marks, despite sitting the exams a year early.

Vuong Ngoyen achieved three A* grades in mathematics, further mathematics and additional further mathematics, while Eric Nguyen gained two A*.

More than half of students at Wolverhampton Grammar School, in Compton Road, achieved A* or A grades. Students at St Dominic's High School for Girls, in Brewood, achieved a 94 per cent pass rate.

Talented sixth-formers at a top Wolverhampton school were today starry-eyed with exam success after achieving a 100 per cent pass rate in their A level results.

Setting the standard at Wolverhampton Girls' High School was head girl Jade Baker with five A level passes all at the new grade A*. The thrilled 18-year-old, of Woodthorne Road, Tettenhall, has won a place at Cambridge to study medicine.

School friend Elizabeth Felts, also 18, achieved three A*s and two As to win a place at Harvard University in America, among just seven per cent of successful candidates out of 30,000 hopefuls.

Elizabeth, of Castlecroft Gardens, Castlecroft, whose father Troy is American, said: "I've always dreamed of going to Harvard.

"I knew I'd got a place regardless, which took some of the pressure off, but I still didn't want to get there having ended up with Bs."

Wolverhampton Girls High School achieved a 100 per cent pass rate - an increase on last year. Around 80 per cent were at grades A*, A or B.