SCHOOLS and colleges across south Worcestershire are celebrating another year of excellent results in this year’s A-levels.

The overall pass rate rose at most A-level providers across the county, with many achieving almost 100 per cent. Nationally the pass rate increased for the 26th consecutive year to 97.2 per cent. Two schools – Prince Henry’s High School, Evesham, and Evesham High School – did manage to get a 100 per cent overall pass rate, with all students achieving A to E grades.

Councillor Liz Eyre, Worcestershire County Council’s cabinet member for children and young people, said: “It is always difficult to evaluate the results before the detailed results breakdown is available, but from the schools which have already submitted average point scores, most are showing improvements or schools are largely holding their own.

“Within the overall picture some youngsters have had fabulous outcomes.

“I am hugely impressed with the hardwork of the pupils taking A and AS-levels, the dedication of the supporting staff and of course the parents and families behind those youngsters.”

For Evesham High School, the achievement was a repeat of last year’s results with headteacher Caroline Browne paying tribute to both staff and pupils.

She said: “I must congratulate our students for putting in the hard work and congratulate staff for giving them the opportunity to reach their potential.”

Bernard Roberts, headteacher at at Prince Henry’s High School, said: “We had a really good year and we’re delighted with it.”

Results from Worcester Sixth Form College, the largest provider of A-levels in the county, were also well above the national average at 99 per cent.

Michael Kitcatt, the college’s new principal, said: “We are delighted that virtually all of our students have got the grades that they needed to progress on to higher education.”

Leading the independent schools was King’s, Worcester, with an overall rate of 99.5 per cent and the newly merged RGS Worcester & Alice Ottley School (RGSAO) with 99.4 per cent.

Tim Keyes, headmaster at King’s, said: “With only two subject failures out of 371, we were agonisingly close to a 100 per cent pass rate.

“I am particularly pleased many of our best results have been in subjects often regarded as among the hardest at A-level including modern languages, sciences, maths, history and Latin.”