Nearly half (49.9 per cent) of Sheldon students secured B grades or better and 98.9 per cent of the 181 students achieved a pass with grades A* to E.

Of all their students’ results, almost a fifth (19.7 per cent) were an A or A*.

Headteacher Neil Spurdell said: “A-level results day once again saw many smiling faces as students secured the grades they needed to move on to university.

“The total of Sheldon students entering Oxford or Cambridge is an impressive seven in the past two years.

“Students in Year 12 were also celebrating some excellent results with Joe Merriman (5 A grades) and Elizabeth Daly, Jessica Law, Jennifer Davidson, Emma MacCleaster and Zoe Trott (all 4 A grades) standing out.

"A total of 18 students achieved 3 or more A grades at this halfway point.

“We are thrilled that so many of our students have achieved the grades required to move on to the next very important stages in their lives and are delighted that the grades secured were above predictions, given the national picture.”