TEENAGERS across Oxford found out if two years of hard work had paid off as they opened their A-level results.

Thousands of pupils gathered at their schools to find out if they had made the grade.

Topping the table for Oxford School, formerly Oxford Community School, Glanville Road, was Anna-Mariah Ramezanzedah, 18, from Cowley, with four As and a place at Oxford University's Wadham College.

She said: "I'm overjoyed. I put in a lot of hard work, so I'm pleased that I passed the last hurdle.

"The whole holiday has been a countdown to the result and I couldn't relax. Opening the envelope was nerve-racking but I'm ecstatic with the result."

At the school, just under half, 49 per cent, scored C or above, with 93 per cent of the students taking exams passing.

Headteacher Steve Lunt said: "I'm so proud of their achievements. The staff and students have all worked hard and we've come a long way."

Matthew Arnold School, in Cumnor Hill, was celebrating its best ever A-Level results.

A total of 98 per cent of pupils at the school scored A to E grades, with three-quarters getting A to Cs.

Llewellyn Kinch achieved four A grades and four further students got three As, including Emma Jackson, 18, from Kennington, who will be taking a gap year before seeking a place to study veterinary medicine.

She said: "It was awesome, it was really shocking and kind of surreal."

Students at Cheney School, Headington, also registered their school's best ever performance.

A total of 81 per cent of pupils achieved A to C grades, and five have won places at Oxford and Cambridge.

Headteacher Jolie Kirby said: "The excellent results are the winning combination of hard working and committed students, the dedication and skill of staff, and supportive parents."

At The Cherwell School, although the percentage pass rates were lower than last year's, head teacher Jill Judson said marks were five per cent better than predicted.

She said: "Although the raw results are lower than last year, they are higher than we expected and these students have performed very well indeed against the predictions."

And it was celebration time at St Gregory the Great School, Cricket Road, where the percentage of passes A to E had jumped by nearly seven per cent.

At the city's biggest A-Level centre, Oxford and Cherwell Valley College, where 510 pupils were sitting exams, both A to Es and A to Cs had risen slightly.

Vice-principal Lesley Donoghue said: "It just shows students are working even harder."

At Oxford High School, Bardwell Road, 14 students gained four or more A grades, with two logging five of the top grade and 98.4 per cent of grades being C or above.

And at St Edwards School, in Woodstock Road, 92 per cent of results were C or higher.

At Headington School, 57 girls achieved straight As, including one with six As, and eight with 5 at the highest grade.