A TEENAGER who fell ill with mumps just a couple of days before taking her A-level exams has gone on to achieve top grades.

Francesca Jones had to sit this summer's exams in isolation and felt so poorly she could only complete half of one of the English papers.

But now the 18-year-old has picked up A grades in law and psychology at Newcastle College, along with B grades in English and critical thinking.

Francesca, from the Westlands, Newcastle, said: "I'm happy with my results, although I was just two marks off an A in English.

"It was a really bad time to get mumps. It affected all my final exams. I dragged myself in to college to do them."

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Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form Students collect their results.

Francesca needed three As to meet her offer for a place at Manchester University to study law.

But the university has now taken her illness into account and accepted her.

Across Staffordshire and Cheshire, thousands of A-level students have been celebrating their results, with many schools and colleges smashing through exams records.

At Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College, more than 800 young people have passed A-levels and well over a third of the grades have been As or Bs. Fifty students have gained the equivalent of three or more grade As.

There has also been success for the first group of teenagers to take the International Baccalaureate (IB) at the college. Almost a dozen studied the IB and all have passed.

One of them, Catherine Trinder, achieved a mark of 39 out of a maximum of 45. She is to study education with English and drama at Cambridge.

At A-level at Fenton, girls are still doing better than boys. But the gender gap has now narrowed to just two per cent.

Ben Ferns, from Meir Park, was among the high performers. He achieved straight As in geography, business, maths, and design technology.

The 18-year-old said: "I didn't expect to do so well. I'm very happy. I'm now going to Nottingham to study architecture."

Ben's flair for design was spotted early at college and he took part in a competition run by Michelin Lifestyle, winnings a prize for coming up with the most innovative design.

At Moorlands Sixth Form College, in Cheadle, star students include 18-year-old Robert Cook, who snapped up six grade As at A-level – in PE, chemistry, physics, maths, further maths and general studies.

Robert, from Cheadle, has got a place at Bath University, where he is going to study mechanical engineering.

He said: "I needed three As and expected to get four As. It is beyond my wildest expectations."

Moorlands Sixth Form College is also celebrating big improvements in its overall results and is one of the top performers in Staffordshire in the state sector.

In the independent sector, Stafford Grammar School saw a record 48 per cent of all its A-level entries get A grades this year. Altogether, 74 per cent of the school's grades were As and Bs. And at Abbots Bromley School for Girls, 72 per cent of grades were As and Bs.

In Cheshire, more than 64 per cent of all A-level grades at Sandbach High have been As or Bs. Neighbouring boys' school, Sandbach School, also scored its best ever results.

Among the high flyers at South Cheshire College is George Creswell, who scored straight As in biology, chemistry, maths, and philosophy. The 18-year-old said he was "gobsmacked".

Rebecca Hyland, aged 19, from Wistaston, got three A grades at the Crewe college. She studied English literature, psychology, and history.

At Alsager School, Jake Tomkinson got three As in English Language, English Literature and History.

The 18-year-old is going to Lancaster University to study English.

Elizabeth Cole got three As in English Language, English Literature and General Studies.

The 18-year-old, said: "I was really nervous about the exams and it's a big relief to finally get the results. "

At Eaton Bank School, in Congleton, almost half of all grades were As or Bs. Leading the pack were Laura King, with four As, and Rachel Player, with four As and a B.

Congleton High saw 54 per cent of all A-level grades awarded A or B grades this year. Its top students include Ryan Atkinson, with four As, who will be going to Manchester University to study psychology.

And at Holmes Chapel Comprehensive, one student has a more unusual career path. Aaron Collis has been awarded a scholarship by Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service to study fire and rescue management at the University of Central Lancashire.

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