There were tears of joy and shouts of triumph as teenagers finally discovered their A-level results this morning.

It was a huge moment for pupils at schools across the Towns when they got the grades that will determine their immediate future.

Pupils at Rochester Grammar School got 87% of all grades at A*-B and half of all grades achieved were A* or A, the fourth consecutive year that A*-B grades have been above 80%.

Gwyn Bassan, principal, said: “We are elated by the success of our students. Not only have they achieved the highest grades, but they have also made outstanding progress. These results are truly inspirational and transformational and will enable our students to attend some of the most prestigious universities in the UK and overseas.

“There are too many students to name for their successes and, incredibly, one in four achieved A* or A across the board. One student is heading to Oxford and two are going to Cambridge. Another was successful at winning a scholarship to attend an Ivy League university in the USA.

Before the summer break, the school also received its results for the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma, a qualification that some students take as an alternative pathway to A level. The average point score was 36.3 which is six points above the world IB average.

Emily Hassell, 18, from Frinsdbury she got A*s in sociology and religious studies and an A in English and is off to Cambridge to study human, social and political sciences. She said: “I’m so excited. I’m still trying to get my head around it.”

Hanna Bourne, 18, from Blue Bell Hill, got an A* in psychology and two As in history and biology and she’s going to Exeter to study clinical psychology. She said: “I’m so happy I got a C in biology last year and I wasn’t expecting to do that well.”

At Chatham Grammar School for Girls, head teacher Christine Probin said the results were consistent with previous years.

“It is gratifying to see the rewards of all our students’ hard work. It’s pleasing to see most students got the results beyond their expectations.

“It’s not just students that need praising, I would also like to thank the staff and parents.”

Thomas Aveling School in Rochester said its pupils achieved “fantastic results”, surpassing last year’s record. Overall the pass rate was 100%, average grade per entry was the equivalent of a C grade.

Head teacher Paul Jackson said: “I am really proud of our students, most of whom have been with us for seven years, who now leave us to go onto some top universities, fantastic careers or high level apprenticeships.

“I am particularly pleased that all students who applied will be going to university – a real success for the school. Students have been amazingly well supported through both their studies and in finding their next steps by the dedicated and committed staff we have working here and I give my thanks to them in helping our students achieve such brilliant results.

Students of particular note were Katrine Walker who gained 3A* and 1B, Lauran Aldridge who gained 2 A* and 2B grades, Esmee Fletcher with 2A* and 2As and former head boy Danny Law 2A* C and D.

Danny, 18, is going to Pearson College in London to study marketing. He said: “I’m excited about going and I’m going to go out tonight at celebrate.”

Zovina Savva, 18, from Rochester, got a D* in art and two Bs in photography and media she is off to Hertfordshire University to study animation. She said: “I’m excited and nervous to go. I’m going to go out and party tonight.

King’s Rochester sixth formers are celebrating another year of “impressive” A-level results with increases in all top grade brackets.

One third of all grades at King’s are A* and A this year, 61% are top grades A*, A and B and over 80%are A* to C.

Star performers Harry Kingsley-Smith (2 A*s and 2 As) and Kieran Lamb (3 A*s) and will take up places at Imperial College, London andMagdalen College, Oxford to read for degrees in Medicine and Music respectively. Similarly, Head Girl, Annabel Woolley (2 A*s, 1A and 1B) will go on to read Mathematics at Durham and Head Boy, Charlie Medhurst (3 As), to Exeter to study for a degree in Geography.

Principal Jeremy Walker said: “One of the major strengths of King’s is our commitment to ensuring that each individual pupil obtains the results at A-level to get them on to the best course in the best place for them to study their chosen subjects for their future careers.

“In a broad-ability school like King’s, for some this could be a place at Oxbridge, a top Russell Group university such as Durham or Bristol, or one of the newer universities offering more vocational degree courses; for some it may be a prestigious, specialist institution like the Royal College of Music or Central St Martin’s. Additionally, some may choose to be one of the small but growing number opting for an apprenticeship or training course. My hearty congratulations go to all our hardworking students and their talented staff for such an impressive set of results today. We are very proud of them all”.

Students at the Partnership Sixth Form of Greenacre Academy and Walderslade Girls’ School (PGW) have celebrated another year of great results at A level and advanced level vocational courses. PGW students enjoyed a record number of A grades at AS and A2 level and the majority of grades in the advanced level vocational courses were recorded at distinction and starred distinction.

Joint head of sixth form Shelly Bridger said: “Another excellent set of results for the PGW Sixth Form. We are so glad that more than 300 students will be studying with us next year to share in this success. Some of the individual success stories are truly inspirational and highlight the dedicated approach of our staff. It really does show how two schools working together can achieve great outcomes.”

Pupils at Rainham Mark Grammar School in Rainham achieved top results this year with two thirds at A* -B.

Head teacher Simon Decker said: “This is another exceptional year. Our top performer was Yuen Ng who gained no less than five top A* grades and gained a place at Cambridge to study mathematics.

“Students should be very proud of their achievements and I would like to wish them every success for the future.”

Also off to Cambridge is Rosalind Walker, 18, who will study economics. Rosalind, from Rainham got an A* in maths, a B in further maths, an A in economics and an A* in English.

She said: “I’m buzzing right now and I’m really excited about moving up to Cambridge in October.

“I got the marks I needed and would like to work in marketing or money and find a job which will take me all over the world.

“We will be celebrating tonight.”

Georgina Poole, also 18, who lives in Rainham wants to find an apprenticeship at an accountancy firm in the capital. She achieved three Bs in psychology, economics and philosophy.

She said: “It’s been hard work and a packet of Bourbon biscuits each day got me through it.

“My mum is really proud.”

Rainham Mark’s boys also did well. Jack Prior, 18, from Hempstead is off to Brighton University to study business, management and marketing. He achieved a B in business, a B in geography and a C in maths.

He said: “I want to get a job in digital marketing and run my own business one day. It has been hard work but I kept at it as I knew it benefitted myself.”

Adam Morgan, from Gillingham is off to Northampton University to study human resources now he’s got the marks he needed.

Adam wants to work with people after university and will move to Northampton in September.

He got a B in sociology, a C in physiology and psychology.

He said: “I worked my fingers to the bone to get the grades I needed.”

His friend Danny Ansell,18, from Rainham will move to Cardiff now he’s got the grades he needed.

Danny said: “I’m off to Cardiff University, as I heard it’s got a good nightlife there. No seriously, I want to be a primary school teacher and will study education and psychology. It’s been hard work, but I’m happy with my results I got an A* in sociology as well as two Bs."

The pupils were also congratulated by their MP Rehman Chisthi who was in the school hall to see them pick up their results.

He said: “it’s great to see the pupils do so well at Rainham Mark and I put that down to the leadership here.”

Strood Academy got its best ever A-Level results with students achieving 100% pass rate, of which 64.2% were at top grades A*-B.

This success represents another significant improvement in top grades for both A level and vocational qualifications. These results have opened many doors for their students, unsurprisingly this year also sees the highest number of students progressing onto university courses.

Paul Morris, principal at The Howard School in Rainham, said 99% of students achieved a pass or better. “There was a real celebratory mood when results were opened this morning,” he said. “Several students achieved a collection of A*, A and B grades. Callum Tutt achieved an A* in photography, a distinction* in IT and Bs in history and English language and literature. Lauren Crawley achieved a triple distinction* in sport and a B in her extended project. Ismail Khwaja achieved a distinction* in IT, an A in media and Bs in history and English.

We were very pleased with the results.”

At Rochester Math School, celebrating students included Liam Clark, 18, from Gravesend, who got a B in psychology and two Cs in geography and maths. He said: “I’m going on a gap year so I’m going to work and probably go to Australia.”

Jess Fenn was also celebrating her 18th birthday when she found out she had got an A in psychology a B in English and a C in biology. She’s off to study biology at University of East Anglia.

Monty Murphy, 18 from Gillingham got two Bs in economics and Spanish and a C in maths. He’s going to work in insurance.

For more on A-levels see tomorrow's Medway Messenger, and the Monday paper.