THERE were celebrations across Hampshire as pupils collected their A Level results. Thousands of students were jumping for joy as they picked up their grades. And nearly all colleges in the Daily Echo patch showed they are better than the UK overall pass rate of 97.6 per cent.

One school is celebrating double luck after 27 sets of twins took their exams this year.

The 54 youngsters at Peter Symonds College were some of those helping the college score a 99 per cent pass rate.

Barton Peveril College teachers congratulated their pupils and said the 99 per cent pass rate was the college's "best ever."

The good results come despite the second year of reformed exams, which see the mid-course January exams done away with and all results resting on performance in exams at the end of the two year course.

New principal at Richard Taunton Sixth Form College Liz Lee - who is replacing outgoing principal Alice Wrighton - said the new format is "tougher."

Hampshire and Southampton overall results have yet to be calculated, but opposition education lead Councillor James Baillie - who is a maths teacher at Swanmore College congratulated teachers and pupils and said: "I think the hard work of teachers and pupils has paid off. They are obviously getting used to the new syllabus.

"It's great for morale and parents want to be sending their children to good schools and colleges - so it's fantastic that our colleges are able to achieve that."

% pass rate A*-E

2018 2017 2016

The Arnewood School 99.5 100 100

Barton Peveril College 99 98.3 98

Brockenhurst College 98 97.5 99

Bitterne Park Sixth Form 100 96 100

Hampshire Collegiate 100

Itchen College 98 97 97

King Edwards VI 99.7 100 N/A

Richard Taunton Sixth Form N/A 97 98

St Anne's Catholic School 98.7 100 98