Barnet and Southgate College students rejoice at 100 per cent pass rate across eleven subjects

Barnet and Southgate College celebrated as students achieved an 100 per cent A level pass rates across 11 subjects, with many now progressing to their first or second choice universities.

One Emily Ceaser moved to the UK from the USA with her mother when she was young, but has been living with her best friend in Whetstone for the past three years since her mother returned to the States.

Emily Ceaser, Alex Robertson and Vishwa Patel, who all achieved outstanding results

She said she is "very independent" and was able to buckle down better, achieving A*AB in her results.

She said: "I wanted to stay in London for my A levels and university so I’m pleased with my results and place at City University, but one day I think I’ll go back to the USA."

Emily will be studying law at university, taking after her best friend's family, many of whom have taken similar courses.

Another budding lawyer, Otto Harrison, moved to the college after disappointing results at another school, where he achieved a D, E and two U grades.

He switched all but one of his subjects and buckled down to achieve three Bs at A level.

Otto Harrison with his law teacher, Yasmin Ali Khan

He said: "I should have left my old school sooner because it was better to come to a new place and experience change.

"I'm going to do a law apprenticeship after a gap year, taking after my mum who is a barrister."

Law teacher Yasmin Ali Khan praised the students' "excellent results", but felt the government did not consider the implications of the new linear A level system, which means pupils must take all exams covering material studied over two years at the end of Year 13.

She said: "Next year we are under the old system so law has not changed yet, so the new A level will come in two years.

"I think it is going to be incredibly hard for the students under the new system."

Sharmin Fattahi was happy to be going to Nottingham University to study product design and engineering, but was concerned at one point that he wouldn't make the grade.

Sharmin Fattahi collecting results with his friends

He said: "I had one bad day with the exams and had two on the same day so I got an E in the statistics paper.

"If I didn't get in I was thinking I would give myself a gap year and retake my exams so I could go to the university I want."

On calling his family to tell them the good news, he said he thought his mother was asleep and has a feeling she may not have been awake enough to have heard what he said.

Barnet and Southgate College principal David Byrne said: "They should all be very proud of their achievements, some are going onto study at prestigious universities, some will be staying on at college for their Higher Education and a number of them will be taking up apprenticeships or going straight into the workplace.

"However, not every student will have done as well as they had hoped and we’ll be able to offer support and guidance on what to do next and in most cases be able to offer them a suitable course to follow.

"If anyone’s unsure what to do next they can come in and see us at all college campuses for further advice and enrolment throughout the summer."