AFTER an agonising wait and a few sleepless nights, the day of reckoning arrived for A-level pupils at Marlwood School in Alveston.

For many, who received outstanding results, it heralded the start of their new lives as fully-fledged university students.

Jack Law, 18, was one of them. He will be off to Edinburgh next month to study biochemistry in the Scottish capital.

He said: "I’m very happy. My second choice was York but I didn’t really want to go there. I got two A*s and an A in biology, chemistry and physics. It has all worked out pretty well."

Among the highest achievers was also sixth former Sophie Dean, 18, who achieved two A*s in biology and chemistry and an A in maths. She will be reading Medicine at UCL next year.

She said: "I’m really excited to go to London. I was nervous this morning. I kept waking up last night on and off."

The overall pass rate for the school was 97 per cent with 46 per cent achieving A or B and more than 70 per cent receiving A to C grades. Aspiring newsreader Kathryn Sunnucks, 18, said she was in shock when she found out she would be London-bound in October to study media and communications.

"I was shocked this morning," she said. "I was pleasantly surprised. I’ve really grown at Marlwood. It's a great school. I’m going to Goldsmith in London. It’s amazing."

Her friend Lauren Medwell outdid herself with one A* and three As. The 18-year-old is hoping to save lives one day by studying medicine but will be taking a year out before donning her scrubs.

"I'm really happy," she said. "I'm going to take a gap year and apply for medicine next year."

Head of sixth form Trish Rosevear told the Gazette: "Overall we have got some good results. Forty-five per cent of pupils got A* to Bs so we are pleased with that. Seven of our students got all straight As and A*s.

"Lots of kids have worked really really hard. Some students have chosen to take the year out."