THERE were smiles as wide as the North Sea they live beside, when Felixstowe students collected their A-level results today.Youngsters gathered at Deben High School to receive their envelopes – and share their successes and failures with their friends.

By Richard Cornwell

THERE were smiles as wide as the North Sea they live beside, when Felixstowe students collected their A-level results today.

Youngsters gathered at Deben High School to receive their envelopes – and share their successes and failures with their friends.

But there were not too many disappointments as the school reported excellent success in both A levels and AS exams.

A school spokeswoman said: "We still need to sit down and do the analysis and are still awaiting a few results, but this year group has performed very well indeed compared with last year's. We are hoping our overall results will show a slight improvement when all the analysing has been done."

Several students had taken four or five A-levels this year, and successes included students with 3 A grades and a D, and two A grades and two Bs.

A number also achieved four straight A grades in their AS exams.

Among those celebrating was Claire MacLeod, 18, who got two As and a B in her A-level English, sociology and history – much better than she expected.

"I am really shocked and shaking. I thought I would get an A and two Cs, and this is much better," said Claire, who is going on to do a degree in music industry management to work in the music business.

Simon Burrows, 18, got a B, C and D in his geography, English and economics and is off to Sheffield University to study sport management.

"It's not too bad – I am feeling both pleased and relieved, especially after all the waiting!" he said.

Ben Cook was delighted with his A, two Bs and a D, but fellow student Julian Davies, who secured three Cs and a B in maths, history, geography and philosophy, was critical of the modular exam system.

"I have done all right and a little better than I expected, but I was not happy with the modular system," said Julian.

"Previously A-level students knew that they were working two years towards an examination, but now you have six lots of exams during that time and you are constantly revising, exams, revising, exams and it's become a test of memory."

David Forrest, head at Orwell High School, said a combined pass rate would be calculated and released later for the Felixstowe Sixth Form, which includes pupils from both Deben and Orwell.

"On the whole we are very pleased with the way our students have done and there are plenty of happy smiling faces around the building this morning," he said.

"Results day doesn't have the surprise and tension that it used to have because of the modular system and we know the progress during the two years which the students are making and how they are likely to do."