Alton Convent Sixth Form hit the jackpot again this year with a 100% success at A Level and maintained its unbroken tradition of success across the board in all subjects since the creation of its new Sixth Form Centre in September 2000.

The girls arrived early at school anxious to find out whether they had secured their first choice university courses. They need not have worried, results were exceptionally strong in both arts and sciences with student after student squealing with delight at their respective results with more than two thirds of all results at the top grades.

Alton Convent School's headmistress, Mrs Sue Kirkham joined in the celebrations thrilled that her students had once again been accepted for such a wide variety of courses at their chosen universities. These ranged from traditional academic routes like mathematics, law, architecture, fine art, theology and geography to the more vocational courses including physiotherapy, journalism and animation. Mrs Kirkham believes the explanation for her students' consistent success at A level is rooted in excellent independent study skills fostered by high academic expectations and outstanding specialist teaching. Acknowledging the hard work of all her students and the important supportive role of parents, she was unwilling to single out individual students emphasising the success of all the girls. Each had made sacrifices in the previous two years to ensure future success, she said, and she was proud to congratulate every single one of them.

Commenting on press reports on the widening gap between independent and state schools Mrs Kirkham said this was not a day to make political points. "As a country we seem to delight in denigrating the achievements of our young people, instead of applauding their success in examinations which address the different requirements of a rapidly changing world." Denying that her students were unfairly advantaged, she emphasised her intention in 2008 to increase the number of major sixth form scholarship places, to allow wider access to Alton Convent Sixth Form Centre for local students educated in the state system up to GCSE level.