STUDENTS from Malvern are celebrating some of the town’s best-ever A-level results.

Both The Chase School and Hanley Castle High School have recorded record-breaking results, while Dyson Perrins CE Academy is celebrating its best results in six years.

At Hanley Castle the overall pass rate was 98 per cent, with more than a quarter of all results at A* or A grade.

Three-quarters of all grades were A*-C while 47 per cent of all results were grade B or better.

One of the school’s biggest success stories is 18-year-old Grace Eaton.

Despite being regarded by headteacher Lindsey Cooke as one of the school’s “outstanding students”, she was left disappointed earlier this year when she did not receive a single offer for a university place to pursue her dream career in dentistry.

She was planning to start working her way up with an apprenticeship as a dental nurse at a local surgery.

But her straight A grades in maths, biology and chemistry caught the eye of Bristol University, which contacted her out-of-the-blue offering her a place.

Miss Eaton, from Welland, said: “I just can’t believe it. I never thought this would be happening today.”

Her proud parents Mark and Jane are over the moon and looking forward to a busy few weeks getting her ready for university.

“We are so proud of her,” said Mr Eaton. “Becoming a dentist has always been her dream. It is all she has ever wanted to do.”

Mrs Cooke hailed the “outstanding success” of all her students.

“It has been such a privilege to watch this wonderful year group maturing from their great achievements at GCSE to outstanding success at A level,” she said.

At The Chase a school record 11.7 per cent of all grades were A*s - almost double the national average of 7.6 per cent.

More than a quarter of all grades were A*s or As - another school record - and the overall pass rate was more than 99 per cent.

Headteacher Kevin Peck called the results a “tribute to the collective efforts of students, staff and parents”.

He said: “The results again demonstrate that our students and staff are working harder than ever together to prepare effectively for the exams."

Dyson Perrins students returned 100 per cent pass rates in 24 different subjects, with an overall pass rate of 97 per cent.

Seventy per cent of all results were A*-C and headteacher David Griffin said many students exceeded predicted grades.

“The continued success of the sixth form is testament to the hard work and dedication shown by staff, students and their parents,” he said.

Malvern’s private schools excelled, with a 100 per cent pass rate at Malvern St James and more than two-thirds of grades at A* or A.

Headmistress Patricia Woodhouse said: “We are immensely proud of our girls and all they have achieved."

At Malvern College the overall pass rate was higher than 99 per cent, with 75 per cent A*-C.

The school is also celebrating final confirmation of its International Baccalaureate results, which it received yesterday after re-marks.

Mr Clark said the school's average score of 36.3 placed it among "the very top performers nationally”.

Across the country the overall pass rate rose by 0.1 per cent to 98.1 per cent. However the number of top A* and A grades awarded fell for a second successive year, from 26.6 per cent in 2012 to 26.3 per cent this year.