RECORD grades have meant students from Okehampton College can now choose from a selection of universities, after they received their AS and A2 results last week.

Students gathered both in and outside the college to pick up their results on Thursday, August 20.

Some choose to wait until they got home to read their results, while others eagerly ripped open their brown envelopes.

With choices ranging from job interviews that very day, to travelling and university — one thing was for sure — there was not a dry eye in the building.

Speaking at the college, Headteacher Daryll Chapman, said he felt extremely proud of the students hard work and dedication.

He said: 'Headline figures for A Levels have never been so good.

'We changed all the things we've been doing in the 6th form and are really happy with the A to C grades.

'With 77% of exams taken this year getting grade A's, our best ever used to be 66%.

'We are really pleased with all our students and the upper six group, who have done incredibly well.

'I am also over the moon to say that 55% of our students got grades A's and B's and 77% got A's, B's and C's.

'These figures are fantastic for the students and the college — their hard work has really paid off.

'Overall we are very proud — the students have really raised the challenge this year.'

James Rice, 18 and from Okehampton, said he would be giving some serious thought to his next decision.

He said: 'I am not sure what I am going to do next.

'I didn't do as well as I had hoped, but I feel absolutely fine.

'I have already had one job interview and I have another today for a trainee accountant in Exeter — so we will see.'

Sarah Amos, 17, said: 'I am not opening mine just yet, I will be opening them a bit later on, probably with a tub of ice cream.

'I hope to stay on for A2 and study biology, chemistry and physics, so fingers crossed I can.'

Catherine Winthorpe, who is 18 and from Spreyton spoke on behalf of her four friends, who had also collected their results.

She said: 'We are all really pleased with our results and we are so happy that we can now get into our first choice of university.'

With 100% pass rate at A level, it was all smiles from pupils at Shebbear College.

The headmaster and staff of Shebbear College said they were 'immensely proud' of the efforts and achievements of this year's pupils, with 56% of passes at grades at A and B and 85% of passes at grades A to C, which demonstrates an improvement of 7% on last year.

Most pupils have achieved their first choice university places and will be looking forward to beginning undergraduate studies in October.

Among those setting off for pastures new are last year's head boy and head girl, Mitch Barltrop who will be studying History at Edinburgh University and Grace Bond who will be reading French studies at Birmingham University.