RECORDS have tumbled as A level students across Hampshire posted best-ever results.

The national pass rate went up for the 29th year running, although the proportion of top A* and A grades stayed the same as last year.

Over the next five pages we round up the stories of success from schools and colleges.

But the delight for many teenagers was contrasted with anxiety for others, as the fiercest-ever fight for university places through the clearing system got underway.

A record number of higher education applications is blamed on the huge rise in tuition fees due to come into force next year, and meant thousands were set for disappointment.

Only a few places were being offered by Southampton Solent University and the University of Southampton, while the University of Winchester wasn’t expecting to enter clearing at all following a 20 per cent hike in applications.

Results at-a-glance

The Arnewood School,

New Milton

99% (99%)

Barton Peveril

College,

Eastleigh

99% (99%) Brockenhurst College 99% (98.9%) The Burgate School,

Fordingbridge

96.2% (96%)

Fareham

College 99% (97%) Hampshire Collegiate School,

Romsey

96% Hardley School & Sixth Form, Holbury 91% Itchen College, Southampton 98% (96%)

King Edward VI

School, Southampton 100% Peter Symonds College, Winchester 99.2% (99%)

Ringwood

School 100% St Anne’s Sixth Form College, So’ton 99.3% (99.3%) Taunton’s College, Southampton 98.4% (97%)

Totton

College 98% (97%)

More from your college

St. Anne's
Barton Peveril College
Brockenhurst College
Arneood, Ringwood, Hardley and Burgate
Totton College
St. Swithun's
Hampshire Collegiate
Fareham College
Peter Symonds
Itchen College
Taunton's College
King Edward VI