Criticism of yet another record breaking year for A-level results was of no consequence to the hundreds of nervous Kingston students opening their envelopes yesterday, as pupils celebrated or commiserated with each other and pondered their futures.

See the A-level results here. Results across the borough were up on last year, with one of the most impressive results seeing Southborough School quadrupling the number of A grades its pupils received compared with last year.

Tiffin Girls’ School retained its outstanding record from recent years, with almost two-thirds of exams resulting in an A grade for delighted pupils, while Surbiton High School was only just behind on 60 per cent – a jump of 7 percentage points compared with last year.

A record number of Kingston Grammar School (KGS) students achieved four A grades this year, resulting in a host of pupils joining the 3,000 nationwide taking up offers at Oxford and Cambridge.

Outgoing KGS headmaster Duncan Baxter said: “I am thrilled that so many students have achieved top grades this year.

“At a time of year when doubts always seem to be cast on the rigour of A-levels, the fact that many students take more subjects than they need to is a testimony to their ambition and desire to learn.”

Tolworth Girls’ School managed to build on improved results last year, despite 30 per cent more exams being taken at the school.

As well as boosting its A to C grade percentage from 53 to 76, a total of six pupils scored straight A grades, with Faye Presland off to study history at Cambridge.

Results across England, Wales and Northern Ireland improved for the 27th year in a row, with more than one in four entries gaining a top A grade.

A surge in applications to UK universities caused the Government to announce funding for an extra 10,000 places in “priority subjects” such as maths and engineering this year, with Kingston University agreeing to take on an additional 250 students in its science and technology department.

Most students could barely open the dreaded envelope containing their A-level results this morning as their hands shook with nerves.

However, within seconds, most students could barely wipe the grins from their faces after realising their fantastic grades.

Star pupil from Chessington Community College (CCC), 18-year-old Sophia Mills said: “I’m ecstatic and so happy with my grades. But I’m also shocked. I didn’t expect to do so well.”

Sophia got two As and two Bs, and is now going to Roehampton University to study English and psychology.

“She is the most diligent student we’ve had,” said Dr Jane Chambers, head of sixth form at CCC.

New headteacher Rob Niedermaier-Reed said: “Our outstandedly good results prove the hard work of both students and staff. It really proves you can get top class results in a comprehensive school.”

Chessington Community College students were not the only ones celebrating. Eighteen-year-old Faye Presland from Tolworth Girls’ School is now going to Cambridge University after gaining all As.

She said: “I was so surprised, I was expecting the worst.”

And it is bath time for 18-year-old Jake Baker from Southborough High School, who got an A and two Bs, and is now going to Bath University.

He said: “I’m thrilled. It’s such a relief. I didn’t sleep at all last night. I was up at 6am checking online to see if I got into my university.”

More records were smashed at Coombe Sixth Form, with almost a quarter of results returning as A grades as the school upped its overall percentage of exams passed to 97.6 per cent.

Charlotte Rowe will take up a place at Cambridge after gaining four As, while Charlene Edwards will attempt to use the new UCAS adjust system to get into a better university, after also picking up a surprise set of 4 As.

See the A-level results here.