THE weeks of anxious waiting finally came to an end today for thousands of Oxfordshire teenagers as they ripped open their A-Level results.

Youngsters gathered nervously at their schools and colleges to find out whether they had made the grade, with many having plenty to smile about.

At Matthew Arnold School, in Arnolds Way, Oxford, teachers and pupils were celebrating after an improvement on last year's results. A record 71 per cent of pupils gained A to C grades with an overall pass rate of 97 per cent. Ten students achieved three or more straight A grades.

Rosie Jones, 18, from Henley Avenue in Iffley, was relieved after discovering she had achieved As in chemistry, biology, history and psychology.

She said:"I am incredibly shaky but very happy and a little surprised. I am off to Bath to study bio-chemistry. I think it will sink in in a minute."

Headteacher Katherine Ryan said: "We are really proud of our students' achievements. Our sixth form has almost doubled in size and still we have improved our already high standards."

At Oxford's Cheney School in Cheney Lane, Headington, celebrations were also already under way with 67 per cent of pupils achieving grades A to C and an overall pass rate of 95.3 per cent.

Top of the class was Elliot Carter, who earned himself five A grades and in doing so a place at King's College, Cambridge, to read natural sciences. Other straight A students included Laura Candy and Medhi Imani Masouleh, who both gained four A grades.

Headteacher Jolie Kirby said she was "delighted" with the results, adding: "This will mean our students will be able to progress on to their chosen university courses. This is another record year for sixth form students at Cheney School."

At The Cherwell School in Marston Ferry Road, North Oxford, there were scores of students with plenty to smile about as 82.5 per cent gained grades A to C and the overall pass rate was 98.4 per cent.

Headteacher Jill Judson said: 'We are delighted with another excellent set of A-Level results. We achieved our highest percentage of grade As and over a fifth of the students achieved at least three grade As. The results are a credit to our hardworking staff and students."

At Magdalen College School in Oxford, the top performer was Alfred Artley, who gained seven grade As at A-Level and three Advanced Extension Awards (AEAs), exams designed for the very brightest students.

Mr Artley, 18, of Winchester Avenue, North Oxford, said he was "quite happy" with his results and attributed his success to his school and "working harder than most". He will go on to read classics at Merton College, Oxford.

Eight other boys achieved five or more A grades.

At Abingdon School, it was a record-breaking year with almost 10 per cent of students achieving five or more A grades and 93 per cent gaining A or B grades.

Headteacher Mark Turner said: "We are very pleased with our record results which show the academic heart of the school is beating as strongly as ever."

Among the high fliers at Abingdon were Anthony Chan, who achieved six A grades, and twins Alexander and Henry Freeland, of Witney, who both gained three As.

Mr Chan, 18, of Abingdon, earned his six As in Chinese, chemistry, maths, further maths, physics and economics.

At Headington School, headteacher Anne Coutts said her pupils had achieved "results to be proud of" with 72 per cent gaining A grades, which is up six per cent on last year.

The girls' success in science was notable with more than half of the 105-strong year group counting at least one science among their results and 69 per cent of them gaining A grades.

Eleven girls will go on to Oxbridge in September.

At Oxford High School, deputy head Peter Secker said a record 80.3 per cent of the grades obtained were at grade A with an overall pass rate of 99.7 per cent.

Dr Secker said: "It is pleasing, and remarkable, to see such high standards being reached by a group of students who have also given so much to the school and the wider community."

Councillor Michael Waine, Oxfordshire County Council's cabinet member for school improvement, offered his congratulations to students and teachers.

He said: "Today is about celebrating the achievements of our young people who have worked hard towards their A and AS Levels."