A record number of students at St Albans School have won offers from prestigious Oxford or Cambridge on the back of impressive achievements in their A-Levels.

Andrew Grant, retiring headmaster of the school, near Abbey Gateway, has congratulated pupils and teachers, saying it was “pleasing to note” that 19 students had achieved grades needed to secure their places at Oxbridge.

A* grades accounted for about one-quarter of all grades, while two-thirds were at A* or A.

For the fourth year in succession, and the sixth in total, more than 90 per cent of all results were graded from A*-B grade, the most widely recognised measure of A-Level success.

Fifty-seven students achieved at least one A* while 14, more than 10 per cent of the year group, had three or more A* grades.

Among the many successful pupils was Eric Edmond who after receiving three A*s and an A grade confirmed his place to read medicine at Christ Church, Oxford.

Heading to Cambridge to read engineering are Robert Glew, bound for Queens’ College with four A* grades, and Nick Stride, with three A*s and an A, to Fitzwilliam College.

Head of school Joe Zacaroli collected three A* grades to confirm his place to read engineering at New College, Oxford.

Andrew said: “In a year in which, nationally, the proportion of the highest grades was widely predicted to have dropped, I am delighted to see how well ours have held up.”