JOY and relief were the twin emotions for students in Felixstowe today as they celebrated some excellent A-level results.

It was the first year of results for the sixth form at Felixstowe Academy, which was launched last year after the merger of the resort’s Orwell and Deben high schools.

Staff and governors were delighted witht he grades – 37 per cent of students gained A*-B, 62 pc A*-C and 96pc A*-E.

Headteacher Andrew Salter said the excellent results would allow students to progress to the next level on their educational journey whether that be on to their chosen university courses, to an apprenticeship or directly into their chosen career.

“We are extremely proud of all of our students who have worked hard to achieve very good results this year in both A Level and/or BTEC qualifications,” he said.

“We are really pleased that so many students achieved their targets and some exceeded their expectations.”

Eager students arrived at the sixth form study centre at the academy’s Garrison Campus to collect their envelopes and celebrate together.

Aimee Darke, 18, was thrilled with her A* in maths and A grades in chemistry and physics and is now going on to Imperial College, London, to do a four-year masters degree in chemistry.

“I had a bit of a major panic coming into today because I knew I had to gets three As to get into university and now I am just really glad and relieved,” she said.

“It was a lot of hard work at times – probably more than I expected and a lot more work than GCSEs. It was a challenge.

“I haven’t decided on a career yet. I have always loved all the sciences and chemistry is the central science which links the others together.”

Budding writer Harriet Avery, 18, is now off to UEA at Norwich to do a degree in English literature with creative writing after gaining three As in English language, English literature and history, and a B in French.

“I am delighted, so happy and relieved – when you start the holidays results day seems so far away and then suddenly it’s here,” she said.

“Doing four A levels meant there was a lot to cram in but I felt it was worth it to have that safety net of four instead of three.

“I just love reading and writing, and I am really interested in prose and would love to be a writer in the future, but we will see what happens. I am so glad to get on the course at UEA because it has such a good reputation.”

Harrison Stewart, 18, secured three Bs in biology, physics and maths to gain a place at Anglia Ruskin, Cambridge, to become an optician.

“I feel fantastic. It was a very tough first year and I didn’t do as well as I hoped, but this year I was really focused and now I have the results I needed. I am delighted,” he said.