Palmer’s College hailed a “fantastic” set of results this morning in Grays as students ripped open the envelopes containing their A-level results.

The College said students had achieved a 100 per cent pass rate in 20 of its subjects and 97 per cent in all of its subjects for the fifth year in a row.

Principal Mark Vinall said the results were “excellent” and that the college had now achieved high results for five years running.

Mr Vinall said: “This is an excellent set of results and I congratulate all of our wonderful students and staff on their outstanding achievements.”

Assistant Principal Alison Ross said the students at the college this year had been “fantastic” and they were “really, really pleased” with the results.

She said: “There’s lots of happy stories today. The students are fantastic and there’s lots of happy, smiley faces today. Results-wise, it’s comparable to the last four years. We are really, really pleased.”

One of the top students at the school, former Head girl at William Edwards School, was Laura Wilsmore, 18, said she was "really happy" as she got the results she needed to get into Oxford.

Laura, of Antelope Avenue, Grays, got an A* in Maths, A* in English Literature and an A in Drama and Theatre.

She said: "I was hoping for three As because that was my offer - anything above was just really cool!"

"I'm going to do English at Oxford - it was quite fun going for the interview because we got to stay there overnight, which was quite an experience.

"To get an offer as well was just crazy!"

Carla Briggs, 18, of Long Lane, Grays, who is going to Durham to study Biology, said she thought she had missed her offer, then did better than expected.

She said: "I got an A* in Psychology, an A in Biology and an A in Maths. I'm very, very pleased. I expected to get lower and I thought I'd missed my offer.

"I'm very, very happy. Everyone I know has got in too, there's been no awkward moments. It's fantastic."

George Turner, 18, of Field Way, Stifford Clays, was celebrating three Bs after winning a Social and Digital Marketing apprenticeship at ITV.

He said: "I'm happy. It could have gone worse, it could have gone a bit better. I did a little bit worse than I was expecting, but I was really happy when I got accepted onto the apprenticeship.

"I want to do something in TV, film or media - making things or promoting things."

Calvin Garland, 18, from Sandringham Close, Stanford-le-Hope, is hoping to carve out a career in computer forensics and security.

He scored A in Maths, B in Physics and B in Computing and is going to Derby to study Computer Forensics.

He said: "I'm very happy. It was a bit better than I was expecting. I'm going to Derby and I'm pretty excited about the subject."