Sutton teenagers ran the range of emotions this morning as they picked up A-level results that sent some to Oxbridge and others into clearing.

See the A-level results here.

With most of the borough's schools reporting improvements on last year, the feeling among headteachers was that Sutton's schools had done well.

John Fuller, head of Greenshaw High School in Grennell Road, said a record 100 pupils had gained A levels this year, while the number of A grades at St Philomena's Catholic High School for Girls jumped to 44.7 per cent, a near-50 per cent increase on last year's figures.

Top performers included Nonsuch High School for girls, which reported its “best ever” results with 87 per cent A and B grades.

And the independent Sutton High School managed to do even better, reporting 87.5 per cent of A-levels at grades A and B.

Overall, nearly two thirds of candidates in Sutton gained A and B gardes, well above the national top-grade average of 51.7 per cent.

The strong results, with a pass rate in the borough of 99 per cent, come at a time when A-level results are stabilising nationally.

Councillor Ruth Dombey, deputy leader of Sutton Council, said: “Once again, Sutton has excelled at A-level and shown it fully deserves its reputation as a place with the best schools in the country.

"I congratulate all our young people on their wonderful achievements.

"Well done to them and their teachers, parents and carers who have supported them along the way.”

The proportion of A grades rose again to 26.7 per cent across this country this year, up from 25.9 per cent, but the percentage of A-levels at grades A to E rose only marginally from 97.2 per cent to 97.5 per cent.

Sutton's strong performance will come as scant consolation to those in the borough who missed the grades they needed to get into university.

With more than 50,000 extra university applicants this year but only 13,000 more places, places available through clearing are expected to be substantially down on previous years, with some experts saying there could be 20,000 instead of the usual 40,000.

See the A-level results here.