Weeks of waiting came to an end today as thousands of students across the county received their A-level results.

This year's results mark a key step in major reforms to A-levels introduced by government in recent years, including a move away from coursework and modular exams, as well as a significant decision to separate AS-levels to form standalone qualifications.

In west Dorset, nervous teenagers queued up outside the Woodroffe School, the Beaminster School and the Sir John Colfox Academy to see whether they had made the grade for university. 

At the Beaminster School, friends Joan Ferris and Jessie Wybrew were delighted with their results. 

Bridport and Lyme Regis News:

PLEASED: Joan Ferris and Jessie Wybrew

Joan, who achieved two A* in French and English literature and a B in psychology, said: "I did not expect this but it was definitely hard work. 

She will head to the University of Liverpool in September to study French and Chinese.

Jessie gained an A* in art and a B in photography and will go to study art foundation at the University of Exeter. 

She said: "I've done better than I expected and I'm very pleased with my results."

Richard Steward, headteacher at The Woodroffe School, said it has been 'a very turbulent year for exam results.'

He said: "There has been a great deal of media coverage of the issues including changes to examination syllabuses, new rules governing marking and assessment, and the decision by the boards to alter the way re-marks are dealt with. 

"Despite all that, students at The Woodroffe School have once again achieved an excellent set A-level of results, confirming the school’s position as one of the most successful fully comprehensive sixth forms in the county.

"59 per cent of entries were graded A*, A or B, with 24 per cent at A*/A.

"There were some outstanding individual A-Level performances: Alaina Cockerell achieved 4 A*s in Chemistry, Maths, Further Maths and Physics; Isabella Brown gained 3A*s and a B; Ari Saltmarsh achieved 3A*s. 

"Frieda Hall-Hickman gained one A* and two As to secure her place at Oxford to study History. Lily Whitehead also achieve an A* and two As. George Chantler, Verity Fuller and Lindsey Johnson all gained three A grades.

"Results at AS-level were also encouraging with 62 per cent of students achieving C or above.

"Again, there were some excellent individual results: Cody Lau and Matthew McStea both achieved four A grades; Mia Cawthorne and Rumi Thompson gained 3As and 1 B; Jack Price 3As; Iona Adair, Dominic Beardwood and Luke Johnson 2As and 2Bs."

Mr Steward added: "As always, I am delighted to celebrate the success of our sixth formers.

"I am always impressed by the resilience of students who year on year manage to navigate the complexities of A-level study to attain outstanding results.

"It is great to see so many individuals achieving A* and A grades and pleasing to note the consistency in results across all subject areas: for a medium sized comprehensive school in a rural area, Woodroffe offers an excellent range of subject choices at A-level and it is good to see students performing well in all of them.

"It is particularly encouraging to see top class performance in both the arts and sciences.

"Despite lots of warnings in the press regarding changes to A-levels and more demanding exam papers, Woodroffe has managed to improve upon last year’s results with the average point score for a student’s best three A-Levels expressed as a grade now an impressive B-.

"Once again students will be leaving Woodroffe to take up places at many of the best universities in the country and I am pleased to say that the majority of students met their target grades and secured university places. 

"We all wish them well and are confident that they are on course to succeed at degree level.

"With constant changes to examination specifications and accountability measures, this has been a difficult year for sixth forms and sixth formers, and it is a tribute to the professionalism and expertise of staff at Woodroffe that students have been guided so successfully through very turbulent waters."

Didn't get the results you expected? Don't worry, here's some advice on what to do next.