It was tears of joy for many students across the borough yesterday when the A-level and new AS-level results were finally announced after weeks of nail-biting and anxious waiting.

Schools and colleges across Merton trumpeted good results some achieving their best ever with many lucky pupils now going on to take up a place at university.

Wimbledon College recorded its highest ever A-level pass rate at 94.5 per cent six per cent above the national average for boys with high-flying student Mark Thomas obtaining three As and a B.

AS results were equally good for the school in Edge Hill with 90 per cent of all entrants passing.

Girls from the Ursuline High School, who share a joint sixth-form with the college, did slightly better than the boys with an overall pass rate of 95 per cent.

Students performed particularly well in English Literature, which had a 100 per cent pass rate.

Headmaster Dr Neil Calvert said most of the pupils had achieved the grades they needed to go on to university.

The boys at Kings College School in Wimbledon had the perfect answer to the national academic superiority of girls with an outstanding 100 per cent pass rate overall for A-levels 95 per cent at grades A to C. Around 15 pupils achieved four As and 43 students will now go on to study at Oxford or Cambridge.

Head teacher Tony Evans said: "Last year we were in the top 20 schools and I think we are slightly up on that this year."

The girls at Wimbledon High School recorded an overall pass rate of 99.2 per cent with 70 per cent at A or B grade.

Christina Reynolds gained five straight As and will read Maths at Cambridge and twins Jemma and Zoe Ware both achieved four grade As.

For AS-levels, pupils hit the 99.6 per cent overall pass rate with almost a quarter getting all As.

Merton College achieved strong A-level results in English, maths and business studies and also a 94 per cent pass rate at AS-level.

Spokesman Tony Pope said the college was very satisfied with the results.

He said: "A lot of the students are very happy getting the grades to go on to university."

Some head teachers have hit out at recent press criticism that exams are getting easier.

Pamela Wilkes, from Wimbledon High School, told the News Shopper: "I wouldn't agree with that.

"I think what has happened over the last few years is that the teaching and learning aspects have got much better."