Emotions were riding high at Caterham High School in Clayhall today as students collected their A-level results.

Ilford Recorder: Rida ZainabRida Zainab (Image: Archant)

There was elation as many teenagers discovered they had achieved the grades they needed to get into their first choice of university.

Ilford Recorder: Khadija RazaKhadija Raza (Image: Archant)

One such student was Pippa Ischt, who will be going to study photography and digital imaging at the University of Westminster in September. She got an A in photography, Bs in media and general studies and a D in biology, and said she was happy with her results.

Khadija Raza achieved an impressive three A*s in art, English literature and general studies, and a B in biology. The high achiever said: “I’m very happy, although I wanted an A in biology!”

Also being perhaps a bit too hard on himself was Nijanthan Nandan, who will be going to study medicine at King’s College London. Nijanthan got an A and two Bs, but says he wanted three As. This despite the fact that King’s liked him so much at interview they gave him the almost unheard of offer of three Bs.

Not everyone had good news though, with some students discovering they had missed out on their necessary grades.

Jack Spall needed three As to get into Oxford but got two As and a B. He was thus going to have to contact his second choice, University College London.

AS level students got a glimpse of the agony or ecstasy they will be going through in a year’s time. For now they had their first-year results to contend with.

Rida Zainab was experiencing a British results day for the first time, after relocating to the UK with her mother, a Pakistani diplomat, a year ago.

She achieved three As in ICT, maths and Urdu, a B in physics and a C in computing. She said: “I’ve been doing really well in all my subjects since I started here. Everyone has been so friendly and the teachers are really good.”

Head of sixth form Bruce Johnson was pleased with the results overall. He said: “As an ordinary comprehensive, competing against selective schools, to have students going off to university is an achievement. When I came here 25 years ago we only had 14 students going off to university; now we’ve got more than 100. And what’s especially good is that the increase in fees isn’t deterring people.”

Did you get your A level results today? Let us know how you got on by calling 020 8477 3800 or emailing newsdesk@ilfordrecorder.co.uk