COLLEGES and schools in Alton came up trumps last week as A-level results revealed pass rates to be nearing the 100 per cent mark.

Alton College achieved a 98.2 per cent pass-rate, with 72 per cent of students attaining grades A-C.

More than half of the subjects the college offered at A-level recorded a 100 per cent pass rate, including, among many others, art and design, archaeology, business studies and chemistry.

AS results, which are released at the end of the first year, were also extremely high, with a number of subjects achieving a faultless pass rate.

While not wanting to diminish the impressive overall result, the college did feel it should recognise the "magnificent achievements" made by certain star pupils.

Paul Loosemore (previously of Perins School) gained a massive five A grades, while Holly Grimes (previously of Eggar's School) gained four A grades and a Merit in the Advanced Extension (AE) award for biology.

Meanwhile, Lucasta Dilloway (Alton Convent), Tom Bray, Jane Henderson (Amery Hill School) and Adam Lansdown-Bridge, from Beech, all gained four As.

Jane Machell, principal of Alton College, said: "I'd like to congratulate all of our students on their super performances and my staff on their incredible commitment and hard work to enable the students to achieve their very best."

Pupils and staff at Alton Convent School were also celebrating near-perfect results, with each student gaining an average of at least three A-grades.

Kellie Spooner achieved 4 A grades, while Alanna Andrew, Rachel Hoyes, Georgina Ongley and Bryony Smith achieved three As.

The successful girls have secured places at the universities of their choice, which include Bath, Brunel, Cardiff, Durham and Exeter. Daisy Minns Shearer has been accepted at Pembroke College, Oxford.

The school's AS results were also very high.

"The results we achieve in our sixth form are outstanding and result from the team work between the staff and the pupils," Sue Kirkham, the headmistress, said.

"We have high expectations and the students rise to the challenge each year. The staff and pupils show hard work and enthusiasm which makes results day such a rewarding day each year."

Lord Wandsworth College recreated the upward trend by achieving a 98 per cent pass rate.

Andrew Collins, Lucy Corfield, Alistair Davies, Tony Gregory, Sam Keir and Aldrich Lee all brought home straight As, while the lower sixth's AS pass rate stood at 99 per cent, with 40 per cent of all exams gaining the top A grade and 70 per cent at A-B.

Ian Power, Lord Wandsworth's headmaster, was happy that his students had equalled last year's effort.

"This year's upper sixth were a fine group of young people who were outstanding in terms of leadership and all round contribution," he said.

"Perhaps we were not expecting them to do as well as last year's academically; however I was delighted that they matched last year's pass-rate of 98 per cent.

"The majority of students achieved their potential and in many cases surpassed our expectations".

He added: "As the current trend nationally is for girls to out-perform boys in the classroom, it is particularly satisfying to see so many boys reaching top grades. Sixteen out of the 69 candidates at AS level achieved all A-grades, 10 of these being boys."