It is that time of year again when nervous students check their emails and visit their school or college for the last time to collect their A-level results.
Numbers have begun to trickle in and Tiffin School has reported that two-thirds of its grades were A*, A or B this year.
Surbiton High School (SHS) prinicpal Ann Haydon said: "In the national press they're talking about a deflation in the top grades but we haven't seen that.
"We've maintained our results at the top end and we're delighted. The majority of our girls are going to Russell Group universities."
High-achieving pupils included Kingston & Polytechnic Harrier Phoebe Law, who gained two A* grades and one A while competing in national-level athletics. She will study biochemistry at Imperial College London.
Alicia Mason, who has taken part in SHS's reading project in Ghana, notched four A* grades and is on her way to Cambridge.
Both students have been at SHS since they were four.
Alicia Mason with Ann Haydon
At Holy Cross, where 84 per cent of grades fell between A* and C, headteacher Tom Gibson praised "hard work by students and staff".
He added: "The results have really improved at the top end - a significant increase in A* and B grades. That's just down to hard work - there's no magic formula. We've got girls who've got straight As and A*s."
Comet reporter Ellie Cambridge has visited Hinchley Wood School.
Jess Spinks, left, and Patrick Harris
Hinchley Wood student Jess Spink, 18, who scored an A*, an A and a B, said: "I did good. I got what I thought I was hopefully getting - exceeded expectations. I was a bit scared.
"I'm going to do music at Guildford ACM. Now we are going for breakfast, going to the pub and then going out in Kingston."
Patrick Harris, 18, who opened his envelope with shaking hands, said: "I'm really happy. I'm going to go to the pub."
He plans to go travelling in Vietnam, Australia and New Zealand next year before studying geography and environmental sciences at Plymouth University.
Matthew and Jason Brown
At Coombe Sixth Form, twins Matthew and Jason Brown are celebrating not only their exam results but their 18th birthdays this morning.
Mathew dreams of being an actor and his double distinction in BTEC performing arts will stand him in good stead. He plans to take a year out before applying to casting agents and drama schools.
His brother is taking a different path and starts an apprenticeship in business administration in September after achieving two Ds and an E in psychology, business, and sociology.
Matthew said: "It has been brilliant, such a good laugh and I’ve grown as an actor and a person while I have been here.
"I think we will go clubbing in Kingston tonight to celebrate results and our birthdays. We will probably go to Pryzm.
"Oh no - I just told the Surrey Comet I’m actually going to Pryzm."
Jason added: "I am really pleased with my results. Me and my brother are different and we are going on to different things."
Bethany Downey
Coombe head girl Bethany Downey, 18, is the only student from the school who will be going Cambridge in September.
Miss Downey, 18, achieved two A* grades and an A grade in history, English literature and politics and will study law.
She said: "My teachers expected my grades but I didn’t at all. I’m really looking forward to the challenge of Cambridge."
Head boy Dominic Mackie, 18, achieved similarly good results with two As in maths and psychology and a B in history.
He will study physiology at the University of East Anglia.
Coombe head teacher Deborah Walls said: "Overall we are so pleased with the results. Our points score has gone up by 10 and there haven’t been any nasty surprises.
"I am really pleased for all of our students."
Richard Challoner head boy Henry Riley with Carvell Essilfie-Conduah and Marcin Giza
Richard Challoner head Ian O’Brien said: "We are already incredibly proud of the contribution this year group has made to Richard Challoner. Their examination results are the icing on the cake."
His school reported a 99 per cent pass rate.
Pupils at Rydens Enterprise School and Sixth Form also achieved a 99 per cent pass rate.
All students achieved the highest level, distinction plus, for Level 3 BTEC courses, staff said.
Head of sixth form Debbie Pyke said: "We are incredibly proud of our students and wish them further success in the next chapter of their lives."
Celebrating Kingston Grammar School students hit the Buck's Fizz
At Kingston Grammar School, staff said every student who applied to Oxford or Cambridge has got in, and that 40 per cent of students achieved three A grades or better.
Head Stephen Lehec said: "The totality of these results is quite wonderful and very rewarding for everyone concerned, especially in light of the wider national concerns regarding grade deflation making the highest grades much harder to achieve."
KGS students Joanne Davies, Lara Horin and Fergal Dunn
Kingston College principal Peter Mayhew-Smith said: "They are good results this year, better than last with a big jump in a lot of grades, and high grades at AS level. We're really pleased.
"We've also had a tremendous surge in positive results for our vocational programmes as well as our apprenticeships, which have gone through the roof."
TGS students celebrate success
Tiffin Girls' School (TGS) acting headteacher Amy Cavilla said: "Our congratulations go to our students for this fantastic set of A-level results.
"They reflect the aspiration, ability and commitment of our outstanding students, staff and the support of parents."
Fully three-quarters of TGS students' grades were A* or A.
Aneesah Sulaman and Ellie Hawes, both 18, from Tolworth Girls' School
Tolworth Girls' School said its students had increased their share of A* and A grades, and that there had been "a marked increase" in those taking up tough medical science courses.
More students will go to Russell Group universities, staff said.
Southborough High School students notched 77 per cent A* to C grades. Jacopo Zonouzi was among the highest achievers with two A* results and one A. He will go to Durham to study law.
Head Niall Smith said: "These are great results which show what can be achieved when students aim high and work hard."
- But what if you missed your grades? It is not the end of the world, as these Kingston University students found out.
Davide and Damiano Lagana, left, and Sarah Mutombo
Sarah Mutombo, 19, opened her A-level results last year and her heart sank. She picked up the phone and was eventually offered a spot at Kingston studying economics.
The Plaistow teen said: "I do believe that everything happens for a reason and clearing gave me a second chance to find a degree spot.
"Going through clearing isn't embarrassing. What is embarrassing is giving up at the first hurdle."
Milanese brothers Davide and Damiano Lagana missed out on their international baccalaureate grades. Having failed to get into their first choice universities they banded together and now study business management.
Davide, 19, said: "We decided to try to find places at the same university and course so that we’d be able to support each other."
His brother added: "If you really want something in the world of business, you have to fight for it."
- The results in full
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