Surrey students receive A-Level and BTec results

Students in Surrey have enjoyed a positive morning of A-Level success after it emerged that the county achieved a percentage of A* grades well above the national average.

According to data published by Ofqual, 13.4% of the 29,305 results received were A*, compared to the 9.4% rate across England.

It was an emotional day at the Ashcombe School in Dorking as students' university ambitions materialised.

Annabel said: "I got A*, A, A and an A* in EPQ [Extended Project Qualification] - I'm very happy."

Annabel said: "I'm going to take a gap year and then study law at Southampton I think."

Fellow student Theo said: "I didn't do nearly as well as I thought I would, but it doesn't matter because I still got into the university I wanted to go to.

"I got a B in physics, an A in maths, and two Cs, in further maths and computer science."

Theo is also heading to the University of Southampton to study physics and astrophysics.

The school's head of sixth form, Ben Blackband, said: "They've done exceptionally well actually.

"We're really proud of our students, they've showed hard work, dedication and always coupled with a sense of fun as well."

Elsewhere in the county, students at Blenheim High School in Epsom have performed well, with 21% of grades either A* or A and 77% between A* and C.

At Reigate Grammar School it was a similar story of success, where 94% of grades were between A* and B, and 38% of all grades were A*.

There were also many examples of BTec success, where 97% of all results were awarded at Distinction or Distinction*.

The success seen at these schools is reflected in how well the county performed overall, where 84.1% of all results were grade C and above.

This exceeded the 78.1% seen nationally.

Nowhere was this strong performance was apparent than in the Guildford local authority, which achieved the highest percentage of higher grades in England.

A total of 50% of exam entries were awarded an A or A*.

BBC Radio Surrey visited Royal Holloway University in Egham where people have been hard at work helping students to navigate clearing, designed to help students who have missed out on their firm or insurance choices.

Call handler Lily Leung, a former student at Royal Holloway said she wanted to give something back after finishing her studies.

Reflecting on a "non-stop" morning, she said: "I know how clearing is so important to students who want to carry on studying, so being able to work here is such a joy, being able to help people."

Associate director of applicant services, Georgie Cave, and call handler David Hannaby both discussed changing habits within clearing.

Cave says clearing is now used "for a variety of reasons", both for students who "change their choice" or "change their minds".

"We also get a large portion of students who applied direct to clearing - they know there'll be an abundance of places," Cave said.

Agreeing with his colleague, former student Hannaby says the route is increasingly being used by students "as an opportunity to explore their options".

"Clearing can be a really stressful day for students when they haven't done quite as well as they thought they might do, and you're immediately thrown into looking at what's available."

The chief executive of the Universities and College Admission Service (Ucas), Jo Saxton, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that there are around 27,000 courses available through clearing this year.

This increased tendency to explore options can also be seen in what students do after school, Ashcombe School's head of sixth form said: "Students have got such a broad array of choices available to them.

"Typically our A-Level students tend to go to university, but I think more and more of them now are gaining places on really competitive apprenticeship courses, but actually a lot of them will take a gap year to think about what their next steps will be."

Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram and listen to BBC Radio Surrey on Sounds. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.