THE long wait was finally over for A-Level students across the area when they opened their results, on Thursday. Both The Helena Romanes School and Sixth Form Centre, in Dunmow, and Felsted School, Great Dunmow, have reported a bumper year in the number o

THE long wait was finally over for A-Level students across the area when they opened their results, on Thursday.

Both The Helena Romanes School and Sixth Form Centre, in Dunmow, and Felsted School, Great Dunmow, have reported a bumper year in the number of pupils achieving pass grades.

Increasing its overall pass rate for the third successive year, 97.7 per cent of students at Helena Romanes gained A to E results, and 66 per cent gained A to C grades.

"I am again delighted with the increase in our overall pass rate at A-Level," said headteacher Simon Knight.

"This demonstrates continued improvements in the quality of teaching and learning that are taking place within the sixth form."

Kathryn Davies is going to Oxford University after obtaining A grades in Business Studies, English Literature and Psychology and a B grade in General Studies.

The 92 students in the Upper Sixth at Felsted School achieved the School's "best ever" A-Level results this summer.

The percentage of A and B grades increased from 64 per cent in 2006 to 73 per cent and only two exams out of the 283 taken were not passed.

Headmaster, Stephen Roberts, said: "The students and staff have both worked very hard to achieve these excellent results.

"There are a number of very able students who have obtained outstanding results and many candidates have achieved results which they would not have thought possible just two years ago.

"I am delighted that most Felstedians will be going on to their first choice university."

Henry Walton gained four A grades in Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Chemistry and Biology plus an A grade in Economics at AS Level.

"I am ecstatic; these are the results I was hoping for and it is a great feeling to see them confirmed on paper," he said.

He has been accepted to read Medicine at Magdalene College at Cambridge in September.

Holly Buttleman, who gained A and B grades said: "I was expecting B and C grades so I am very happy.

"This has secured a place at my first choice university, Manchester, where I am going to read Fashion and Textiles."

Nationally, the pass rate for A-Levels has risen for the 25th year in a row and a record one in four exams resulted in an A grade.