STUDENTS at The Meridian School in Royston, have once again achieved record breaking A-level results. Both the overall pass rate and the proportion of higher grades have risen compared to last year. Assistant head teacher David Atkins said: This is a tri

STUDENTS at The Meridian School in Royston, have once again achieved record breaking A-level results.

Both the overall pass rate and the proportion of higher grades have risen compared to last year.

Assistant head teacher David Atkins said: "This is a tribute to the extremely hard work of the students and their teachers, not just at Meridian, but throughout Roysia, Greneway and the first schools in the Royston system.

"The Meridian Sixth form, which was graded "good" in this year's Ofsted inspection, will be sorry to lose this cohort of students, many of whom can now begin their chosen courses of study at University."

The pass rate across the school was 96 per cent, up from 95 per cent last year, while 41 per cent of papers were graded A or B, a rise of 8 per cent from 2007.

Among a host of high achieving students was Emma Holmes, who achieved four A grades at A-Level, and two at AS-Level. She will be attending Oxford University next year to study experimental psychology.

After picking up three A grades, one B, and an A at AS-Level, Emily Whitehouse said: "I was a bit nervous this morning, but now I've got my results I'm really pleased, especially getting an A in business, because that's what I want to do at university."

Emily will be attending Manchester University to study international business finance.

However, first she will be taking a gap year, during which she plans to go travelling and complete an internship at financial company KPMG.

"I want to get a job in finance so I thought an internship would be a good way to find out what the industry's like," she said.

Aspiring actress Alex Haggis is also taking a gap year, and is looking to get some experience treading the boards under her belt.

She said: "I'm going to have a look around and see what parts are available. I'm very happy with my results, particularly getting an A in drama."

Mr Atkins said: "They're a good bunch, and it's really nice to see that who deserved to do well got what they wanted.

"What makes the results all the more impressive, is the fact that so many of the students maintained such high standards, whilst keeping up with their sporting, musical, artistic and voluntary activities and taking part-time jobs. They are an excellent example to the younger students of Royston," he said.

n At Freman College, Buntingford, students achieved a 99 per cent pass rate, with 39 per cent of results being A or B grades.

Head teacher Helen Loughran said she and her staff were "very pleased" with the results.

She said: "The students and staff worked very hard and it is a pleasure to see how well they have done.

"I am particularly pleased by the wide range of degree courses students are moving onto at top universities - everything from medicine, law, English, maths and physics to fashion design and photography.

"This really demonstrates how well students are doing in a very wide range of subjects here at the college," she said.