A-Levels: Praise for 'excellent' results at Varndean

Some 1,105 exams were sat, with 56 per cent of students earning A*-B grades and 78 per cent earning A*-C.

More than two thirds of the subjects had a 100 per cent pass rate, with visual arts courses such as art, graphic design, 3D design, textiles and photography described as "particularly impressive".

A school spokesman said that, out of the 177 entries, all subjects achieved a 100 per cent pass rate with 92 per cent of students achieving A*- C grades and 22.6 per cent achieving the prestigious A* grade.

Deputy Principal, Jill Arnold, said: “We are extremely proud of the excellent results achieved by our students, particularly in this year when many A-Levels have changed and become even more challenging.

"Students and staff have worked extremely hard and thoroughly deserve this success.

"Once again Varndean College looks set to have outstanding value added, as students have achieved higher grades than their GCSE results originally predicted.”

This A-Level success follows on from Varndean’s outstanding International Baccalaureate results in July, when 47 IB Diploma students averaged 36 points, the equivalent to three A grades at A-Level.

Two students, Maria Gureeva and Naomi Crisp, achieved a staggering 44 points each, putting them in the top 1 per cent of over 90,000 IB students worldwide.

Dr Sean McEvoy, who retired this summer after 30 years at the College and acted as IB Co-ordinator for the past ten of those, couldn’t praise the students highly enough.

He said: "The International Baccalaureate is certainly a challenge but it produces confident and articulate young people who know a lot about the world around them and can really think for themselves.

"It’s been a great pleasure working with them all.”