A-levels Hampshire: City of Portsmouth College "super proud" of students as they achieve amazing grades

Happy faces filled the sixth form campus in Tangier Road, Baffins. Despite a national forecast of reduced marks due to tougher exams, the institution saw a 96.6 per cent pass rate for A-level and Level Three qualifications.

Some students secured Oxbridge placements. Emily Smith, 18, of Baffins, will be going to the University of Cambridge – just like her grandad.

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She will be studying Natural Sciences after getting three A*s in Maths, Biology and Chemistry. She told The News: “It feels surreal to follow in his footsteps.

"You have the interviews, which I really enjoyed, and you find out very quickly if you got in or not. When I went to Cambridge, I felt like I fit in and felt like it was a great place.”

Monday Halley, 20, achieved two As in Politics and Criminology and a B in BTEC Law despite commuting from London everyday – revising for several hours on packed trains.

She said: “I feel amazing and really proud of myself. I was so scared that it was not going to be what I needed, but I totally have blown it out the water.

"I had to get up 6am everyday, but I feel really fulfilled that all the hassle was worth it. Only do what I do if you need to. It’s possible if you have the drive.”

Monday will be studying Politics and International Relations at the University of Greenwich, having had a passion for the subject since she was 13.

Abi Jagger, 18, of Chichester, is going to Cardiff Metropolitan University for Sports Exercise Science – after getting a triple distinction in Sports Coaching & Development. The Tenpin Bowling star would encourage anyone to do a BTEC if it suits them.

She said: “With dyslexia, I find it difficult to do exams. My course was all coursework, so that made things easier. It’s more practical-based. I wanted to live a different life and live in a big city.”

Megan Gibbs, 18, of Copnor, who got three Bs in Criminology, English Literature and English Language – securing an English Language place at the University of Portsmouth.

She said: “My mum was crying over the phone, she’s so chuffed. She always knew I could do it, so she was over the moon.”

Billy Bradrick, 18, of North End, who is going to the University of Surrey to study Law and Politics after getting three Bs in Law, Politics and Criminology, said: “A few of us are off for breakfast, then will probably go out tonight. I kept a level head got into the university I wanted. I’m chuffed.”

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The college got over 1,600 Level 3 results altogether, with 80 per cent of students securing their preferred place at university.

Principal Katy Quinn said the pass rate has gone back to pre-pandemic levels, with more people getting higher grades. She added: “I’m super proud of all our students and staff who have worked so hard to support them.

"I think we really have moved on from the pandemic, but it’ll still take a while to get things completely back to how things were before Covid. It was so disruptive for education and society as a whole.

“The grades exceeded my expectations.”