By Paul Crute, Clare Kinrade, Vivienne Paterson and Karen Evans

Last updated at 11:02, Friday, 21 August 2009

STUDENTS across West Cumbria received their A-level results yesterday, with many gaining places at university.

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The pass rate at Workington Sixth Form Centre was 95 per cent this year, with a 40 per cent pass rate at A and B grades, up 10 per cent on last year.

Head Stephen Hunter-Brown said: “I’m absolutely thrilled with the exam results and I want to thank the staff and the students for their hard work. The students this year have really focused on their work and it’s paid off in their results.”

Among this year’s high fliers were Laura Atherton and Jenna Lamb, who both got straight As in biology, chemistry and maths.

Laura, 18, of Queen Street, Workington, needed an A and two Bs to get into Bristol University, where she will study neuroscience.

She said: “It’s an absolute relief today because I got the grades I was predicted.”

Jenna, 18, of Gilgarran, visited the UCAS website and jumped when she realised she had got into her first choice of Nottingham University.

She will do a five-year veterinary science course and said: “I’m so excited that it hasn’t hit me yet.”

Cockermouth School matched its 2008 pass rate of 95 per cent, with its 46 per cent rate of A and B grades up two per cent on last year.

As students began tearing open their envelopes at 9.30am yesterday the school had one student – Helen Raftery – with a confirmed place at Cambridge University after she got As in English, French, German and history.

Headteacher Stuart Reeves said he was delighted with the results.

He said: “This is the culmination of a lot of hard work from the students and staff coupled with great support from our parents. The vast majority of students have got a place at their first choice university.”

He refuted claims that exams were getting easier, adding: “We’re getting better at preparing students for examinations and the students take their education very seriously. Records are there to be broken.”

Humayoon Zaheen, 18, of Cockermouth, got As in biology, chemistry, physics and maths. He said: “I’m pleased with the results I got. I’ll be taking a gap year this coming year and then hopefully going to university afterwards.”

Emma Sutton, 18, of Cockermouth, is heading for a four-year law degree at Northumbria University after she got As in biology, religious studies and maths and a B in AS-level history. She said: “I’m really pleased. It’s just what I was predicted.”

At Maryport’s Netherhall School the overall pass rate was 94 per cent, with 60 per cent of students gaining C grades or above.

Headteacher David Sibbit said: “The points score per entry was 12 per cent above last year.

“It seems that all out students have got into the university of their choice. There’s been a lot of publicity about how hard it’s been to get in but even those who did not quite achieve their grades have managed to obtain places. Overall the school was delighted with the results.”

Rhys Morgan, of Curzon Street, celebrated his 18th birthday yesterday with three Bs, in history, RE and maths, and will study maths at Preston.

Laura Johnson, 18, of Crosby Villa, has secured her place at Glasgow University where she will study marine biology after obtaining an A in media studies and Bs in biology and English literature.

At Keswick School the pass rate was 98 per cent, with 80 per cent gaining A-C grades. Three students each gained six As.

Headteacher Michael Chapman said: “These are very pleasing results which represent a slight increase on last year. The majority of our students have got into the universities which they wanted to go to.

“There have been one or two students who we have been helping to find places through clearing this morning. These results show a real team effort from staff and pupils.”

At Whitehaven’s St Benedict’s School, which has West Cumbria’s Catholic sixth form, students were also celebrating.

Headteacher Ann Brook said it was too early to compare the results with previous years but she was happy with the students’ achievements.

She said: “A lot of our students have got into the university of their choice and many appear to have achieved their target grades. We are delighted.”

St Bees School was celebrating a 60 per cent pass rate at grades A and B, with an overall pass rate in the high 90s.

Headteacher Philip Capes said: “I am delighted by the success achieved by all our pupils. I am particularly pleased that the four pupils holding offers either from Oxford and Cambridge University colleges or medical schools obtained the very high A-level grades demanded of them.”

* For more photos visit www.timesandstar.co.uk/photos

First published at 19:30, Thursday, 20 August 2009
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk