COPELAND’S A-level students have been celebrating after receiving their results.

All schools were delighted by the hard work their students have put in to their studying over the past two years.

Janet Simpson, head teacher of Wyndham School, Egremont, said: “They have been a tremendous year group throughout, with a very positive and hard-working attitude. They have focused on their academic studies and also made a real contribution to the life and ethos of the school.

“The results show improvement in all areas. The overall pass rate is 95.2 per cent and a third of all grades were A and B, which is a fantastic achievement.

“Our highest-performing student is Richard McCormack, who achieved five A grades in physics, chemistry, maths, further maths and general studies and who will be working at REACT Engineering for a year prior to taking up a university place at Durham to study engineering.

“Steven Leak achieved four A grades and will be studying medicine at Sheffield University. The highest-performing female student is Emma Kirby who gained three As and a C and will be studying languages.”

Staff have congratulated Emily Simpson for completing her exams after a car accident. She has been awarded four Bs and one C and will be moving to Liverpool in September to study pharmacy at the John Moore University.

Mrs Ann Brook, head teacher at St Benedict’s RC School, said: “We are very pleased with our A-level results this year. The majority of students have been accepted for their first-choice university to study courses such as engineering, law, English, pharmacy and maths.

“These results are a testament to the hard work of our students and the dedicated staff. All of us at St Benedict’s would like to congratulate everyone on their achievements and wish all our students the best in their future careers and lives.”

Colin Nunn, director of Sixth Form Studies at Millom School, said he was delighted that the students had achieved so much after all their hard work. The overall pass rate was 95.81 per cent, with the vast majority of students now set to join the university of their choice.

The top-performing boy was Mark Savage with four A grades in mathematics, chemistry, physics and general studies. He is planning to study physics at Durham University.

The top-performing girl was Natalie Bell with three A grades in geography, religious education and general studies; Natalie also achieved B grades in biology and history.

Other performances of note include Robert Gibbs with three A grades, one B, one C; Maria Gulliford with three A grades, one B; Holly Parminter with three A grades, one C; and Greg Stocks with four B grades.

Keith Finlinson, head of the Post 16 Centre at Whitehaven School, said: “We are delighted that the vast majority of our students wishing to go on to university have been successful in gaining their first-choice place.

“Results have also been very pleasing for those opting to go into employment or training locally, and it is good to see our students leaving us able to follow their chosen path.

“Students and staff work very hard to achieve the best possible results and it is excellent to see those efforts rewarded with the success they deserve.”

Gaile Mackay, 18, from The Highlands, Whitehaven, said: “I’m really pleased with my grades, I’ve got into Dundee University.” Katie Rutter, 18, from Rottington in St Bees said: “I’m really chuffed, I got three Cs and I can now go to the University of Cumbria.”

St Bees School Sixth Form students are celebrating as the percentage of A and B grades achieved in this years exams have reached a high of 68.8 per cent.

Oxbridge entrants James Barwise from Lowca will be going to Trinity Hall to read theology, while Anna Bushby and Bethanie Crayston, both from St Bees, will be reading classics and natural sciences at Peterhouse and Clare Colleges respectively.

A further six students have successfully gained the high A level grades required for places to read medicine. Christina Downham from Kendal is off to Aberdeen University, Sophie Ironside from Rottington to Birmingham University, Lucy Johnston from Carlisle to Leicester University, Sarah Webster from St Bees to Nottingham University and finally Harriet Lamb from St Bees and Zafran Zahid from Cockermouth are off to Keele University.

Seven students in total gained the highest A grade in all four of their A level subjects and a further six pupils achieved at least three A grades.

St Bees headmaster Philip Capes said: “These are outstanding results and all the pupils and their teachers are to be congratulated on the excellent A-level grades that have been achieved.

“The intensive level of support and guidance offered to our students throughout their time in the sixth form means that this group of young people are well prepared as they move on to the next stage of their lives at some of the most prestigious universities in the UK. We wish them all every success.”

Coun Jim Buchanan, Cumbria County Council’s cabinet member responsible for children’s services, said: “The early indications are that Cumbria’s A-level performance is going from strength to strength.

“The number of pupils getting A to C grades looks to have gone up and we’ve sustained our performance on A-E grades.

“I’d like send my congratulations to all the students and schools who have worked so hard to achieve their goals. ”