LIVE: Nervous students pick up A-level results in Epsom, Ewell, Leatherhead, Banstead, Ashtead and Tadworth

At Blenheim High School, in Longmead Road, Epsom, 80 per cent of A-level students achieved a place at their first choice university.

Chloe Wall, 18, from Worcester Park, got four A*s in Drama, Geography, History and English and will read Geography at Brasenose College, Oxford University.

She said: "It doesn't feel real at all.  I never really expected to get these results or to get into Oxford."

Her friend Lara Balkwill, 18, also from Worcester Park, achieved three A*s in Drama, English and Philosophy and Ethics.  With today's results, she has won a place at Exeter University to study English and Drama.

"It was just shaking and didn't know what to do.  I was really worried because they exams didn't go how I wanted them to and I didn't have a back-up plan," Lara said.

Lara Balkwill and Chloe Wall at Blenheim High School this morning 

Other high-achievers at Blenheim included Ellie Smith, 18, from Stoneleigh, who will read Psychology at Sussex University after obtaining one A* and three As, and Joe McManus, 18, also from Stoneleigh, who got an A*, an A and a B.  He will study History at Warwick University.

Joe said: "I'm relieved but at the moment I'm tired.  My mum woke me up at 8am to make me check on the UCAS website whether I had got my place."

Emma Jackson will be studying Physiological Science at Bristol University after achieving an A in Maths, an A* in Biology and an A in Geography and an A* in her extended project.

19 per cent of students achieved an A or A* grade, with 77 per cent achieving an A* to C and almost 100 per cent of students passing their exams with an A to E result.

Tracey Fantham, Blenheim's headteacher, said she is "delighted" with the results and that it was great to see students celebrating with their teachers after opening their results envelopes.

She said: "The students have worked very hard and achieved really good results.  The students are a credit to the school and the staff who have worked with them."

Over at the independent Ewell Castle School, in Church Street, Ewell, there have been more celebrations.

The overall pass rate at the school was 98 per cent, with 62 per cent of grades at A* to C and 20 per cent of grades at A* to A.

Head boy Danny Archer, 18, said he felt "ecstatic" after getting an A in English, an A* in History and full marks in Government and Politics.

He said: "It's months of waiting and to finally say that I'm going to the university I really want to go to, it's brilliant.  It's the best news."

Danny said he will study Politics and International Relations at Bath University, adding: "I want to be a sports journalist."

Danny Archer, head boy at Ewell Castle School, will be going to Bath University 

Deputy head boy Hugo Bromley, 19, was relieved that Swansea University gave him a place to study Engineering through clearing.

Hugo said: "I was feeling dreadful this morning because I was immediately declined. I felt like I wasn't going to go to university at all.

"You bury yourself in self pity. Then I phoned Swansea really early and they said 'yes' pretty quickly."

He added: "Having gone from such a dip you really peak at a high."

Hugo achieved Bs in Maths and Physics and a D in Economics.

Shamin Patel, 18, is looking forward to studying Law at Birmingham University after getting Bs in History and Biology and an A grade in PE.

He said: "I was nervous but when I got my offer I was relieved that my hard work had paid off."

"I will probably go out and enjoy myself before I have to start working again."

Students celebrating at Ewell Castle School 

Ewell Castle School's principal Peter Harris said he was pleased with the school's crop of results and was nervously awaiting his own daughter's AS-level grades.

Asked how he felt on exam day, Mr Harris said: "It's a mix. You want to celebrate with those that are celebrating and come alongside those that need support.

"You have got a bit of a tightrope to walk."

He added: "Some of them have not done as well as they hoped for so there's a bit of concern over that.

"Then you have the Dannys of this world who have done very well."

The 110 A-level students at the City of London Freemen’s School, a public school in Ashtead Park, achieved a 100 per cent pass rate, with 26 per cent of the grades A*s - some of the highest results on record for the school.

Students celebrated at City of London Freemen's School today

91 per cent of the grades were either A*, A or B.  50 students gained A* or A grades in all three, four or five A-levels, and of these.

12 students achieved straight A* grades in all subjects.

Headmaster Philip MacDonald said: "These results are indeed outstanding.

"Freemens’ students have once again done themselves proud and I congratulate them and their teachers on these achievements which are in line with the highest academic standards for which the School has such a strong reputation.  

"I am delighted that the overwhelming majority of our students will be taking up their first choice offers at universities and colleges.  Well done, everyone."

At public school Epsom College, 95 per cent of the grades were at A* to C, with 22.3 per of these A*s and 35 per cent As.  The overall pass rate was 100 per cent.

At Therfield School, in Dilston Road, Leatherhead, 25 per cent of students gained straight A*s and As in all subjects, with an overall pass rate of 98 per cent at grades A to E.

Julia Buckell, director of Sixth Form, said: "We are delighted with our A Level results this year which show a significant increase in all grade boundaries.

"Students are progressing onto to further education institutions to study a range of subjects from Law at Oxford, History at Cambridge University to Material Science at Sheffield and English and Drama at Birmingham University."

At Therfield, Jack Boswell gained three A*s, Amie Dredge and Hollie Montague got two A*s and one A, and Nick Ashurst achieved an A* and three As. 

George Bull and Rory Kent open their results at Therfield School, Leatherhead 

At Rosebery School, in White Horse Drive, Epsom, 99 per cent of students achieved A* to E grades, with 32 per cent of the grades at A* and A.

Headteacher Ros Allen said: "Rosebery School is, once again, celebrating excellent A-level results, with students achieving the highest number of A*s in the school’s history.  

"It is wonderful to see the hard work of our students translated into these exceptional results.

"Teachers and parents can also be very proud of the inspiration, support and guidance which they provided, which has meant that our students are now able to accept places at  top universities around the country, including Oxford and Cambridge."

Rosebery students celebrate their results 

At Glyn School, the overall pass rate was 99 per cent, with 75 per cent of grades at A* to C and nearly 25 per cent at A* and A.

Jon Chaloner, headteacher, said: "The governors and staff of Glyn are delighted with the achievements of our students in both A and AS levels.

"Four students have secured places at Oxford. Chris Beattie, Jamie Earl and James Youren start in September along with our former Head Girl, Hannah Kinnimont.  

"Hannah becomes the first female student from Glyn to secure a place at Oxford.

“It has been a very positive atmosphere at Glyn this morning.

"We wish each of our 206 students, our largest ever Year 13 cohort, the very best as they move onto the next phase of their lives whether it is in higher education or employment.

"We are grateful to our parents for the support they have given to their daughters and sons over the last two years which has been significant."

At the independent St John's School, in Epsom Road, Leatherhead, 94 per cent of grades were at A* to C.

Kathleen Elysee, William Graham, Claudia MacDonald, Dhiraj Patel, Madeleine Perkin, Ross Unwin, and to Barnaby Lowe all achieved four A* grades.

Did you collect your results? Send us your pictures and stories to hmatharu@london.newsquest.co.uk or call 0208 722 6346.