HUNDREDS of south Essex students were today celebrating years of blood, sweat and tears as they received their A-level results.

Students jumped for joy as they opened their results this morning as proud teachers were on stand-by to offer them advice.

At Southend High School for Girls, students and teachers were celebrating outstanding results. 

 Students achieved a 99.78 per cent pass rate and almost three quarters of the grades were at A*, A and B.

Twenty two students achieved 3 or more A* and A grades including eleven who achieved four straight A and A* grades and four who gained five.

Most have achieved the necessary grades to take up their places at university.

Headteacher, Alison Clewlow, paid tribute to the hard work of the students and the dedication of the school’s staff.

She said: ‘Everyone at SHSG is immensely proud of what this year group has achieved. As they continue to university I am confident they will go from strength to strength’.

Mayflower High School in Stock Road, Billericay, recorded a 100 per cent pass rate in 31 subjects, with a whopping 56 per cent of students getting A* and B grades.


Seevic College in Thundersley celebrated its best ever results with a pass rate of 97.3 per cent.


South Essex College also achieved an overall pass rate of 97 per cent, a great welcome for new principal Angela O’Donoghue.
 

Beauchamps High School in Wickford also scored record breaking results as 21 per cent of their students got either an A* or A grade and an overall pass rate of 99 per cent.
 

In Leigh, Belfairs High School improved on its results from last year with an exam pass rate of 97 per cent this time round.
 

Southend High School for Boys saw 83 per cent of its sixth form students get A* to B grades while Southend High for Girls saw around 75 per cent get A* to B and a pass rate of 99.78 per cent.


Westcliff High School for Girls, in Kenilworth Gardens, saw 81.3 per cent of students getting an A*, A or B, while Billericay School had 47 per cent of pupils achieve A* to B grades and will see 105 out of 123 students going to university with a pass rate of 99 per cent.
 

The King Edmund School in Rochford improved its overall pass rate by three per cent as they acheived a figure of 98.2 per cent.

Stephen Castle, Essex county councillor responsible for education, said he was delighted with students' results. 

He said:  “I would like to congratulate Essex students on their hard work. There will be many students looking forward to beginning university or furthering their education in other ways. There will also be lots of people looking forward to entering the world of work. Whatever their plans, I want to wish them all the very best of luck for the future.


“Essex County Council is dedicated to increasing educational achievement across the county, and ensuring that all children get the education they deserve. We are also committed to building the best education system so that every pupil can go on to fulfil their potential, be it academically or vocationally.


"We have some excellent schools in Essex, and pupils, teachers and parents all play a big part in Essex’s educational successes. I would like to thank everyone for their hard work.”

Commenting after the release of A-level grades for 2012, Denise Rossiter, Chief Executive of Essex Chambers of Commerce, said:

“We offer our congratulations to students up and down Essex who have achieved their goals at A-level.

“Business will welcome the fact that the constant grade inflation seen in previous years has finally been constrained. Companies tell us that they have had a hard time assessing the skills and abilities of job candidates with A-level passes, to the point that only 29 per cent of businesses surveyed in 2011 felt very or fairly confident in hiring a school-leaver with A-level qualifications. An end to grade inflation will improve business confidence in the qualifications achieved by young people.

“Yet it’s not all about A-levels and university. With university tuition fees rising and many young people looking for alternatives to higher education, business wants to see more media attention and investment in further education and vocational training. Students must feel confident that a high-level apprenticeship is held in the same esteem as a degree, and that the vocational qualifications they achieve are recognised and valued.

“From September, schools will have a new duty to secure independent careers advice for students. Essex businesses will be watching closely to ensure that vocational options, including apprenticeships, are given as much attention as the option of going to university. We have many  companies in the county who can provide great opportunities for the future”

For those considering further education at University the UCAS website has lots of advice www.ucas.co.uk , alternatively www.notgoingtouni.co.uk provides alternative information.