For thousands of anxious Sussex A-level students, yesterday was the moment of truth.

Emotions ran high as some students achieved results beyond their wildest hopes while others faced the prospect of taking resits.

Students and staff at Varndean College in Surrenden Road, Brighton, celebrated with an overall pass rate of 94 per cent, one per cent up on last year.

Nina Browne, who got As in sociology and psychology and a B in law, said: "I'm just so happy I don't know what to do. It's a real surprise - I didn't think I'd done that well and it's made me rethink my university place."

Nina was planning to go to Leeds to study psychology but may now be able to change.

Richard Twohig, known to his friends as Twiggy, scored As in maths, further maths, physics, chemistry and general studies. He plans to take a year out with Operation Raleigh in Chile before taking up his place at Cambridge to study natural sciences.

Roma Leon, who went to the school to support her daughter, Naomi, was thrilled with her three As in history, English and philosophy.

She said: "I'm very proud of her as she worked extremely hard. She's very determined and we are absolutely delighted she's going to Trinity Hall in Cambridge."

Chris Leow, who took A-level maths when he was 14 and applied maths last year, added another three As in mechanics, German and physics. He said: "I'm ecstatic."

Sarah Cullen, a sociology teacher at the college, said she was thrilled with her pupils' results. She said: "Although people say it's getting easier, the demands on the students are incredible and they have to put a lot of effort into things like coursework."

The national picture of girls doing well was reflected at the college and she added: "It reflects the changing attitudes and the girls' aspirations are changing."

Twins Ann and Louise Veseley, from Eastbourne, celebrated some of the best results at Lewes Tertiary College.

Ann achieved three As and is waiting to hear her law exam result, while her sister got three As and a B. Louise, 18, who plans to study psychology at Bath University, said: "I am very happy. The wait has been OK until the last week and then we were very nervous and didn't want to know the results."

Andrew Thomas, 18, of Newick, also got three As. His mark in applied maths was one of the highest in the country.

James Purdie, 18, was disappointed after getting D, E and N grades in classical civilisation, PE and English language respectively and plans to work and travel in his gap year.

Brighton, Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College had an overall A-level pass rate of 91 per cent, with 31 students gaining three or more A grades.

More than 59 per cent of results were grades A-C and six students achieved marks in individual subjects which were among the top five in the country.

Daniel Hills, 18, of Beaconsfield Villas, Brighton, was delighted to be told that, out of 4,680 candidates who took the maths exam, he had achieved one of the top five marks. Daniel, who also gained As in chemistry and physics and a B in history, now plans to study physics at Warwick.

He said: "This is fantastic. It has been a hard slog but it has been worth it."

College principal Christopher Thomson said: "Six students in the top five of national results is outstanding. It is a real tribute to the hard work and dedication of staff at the college as well as the support students have received from their parents and schools."

Anna Mackay, of West Drive, Queen's Park, Brighton, was another success story from BHASVIC. She achieved four As in English literature, English, history and maths and was among the country's top five in English literature. She is now off to Cambridge.

Dr Anthony Seldon, headmaster of fee-paying Brighton College, mingled with his A-level students on the lawns of the college as they collected their results. He said: "I am just as nervous as they are. I have difficulty in sleeping the night before we get the results and I go through this every year."

Students at the college achieved a 99 per cent A to E pass rate and 85 per cent at grades A to C.

Stephen Williams, 18, a day boarder from south London, achieved two As and a B despite being dyslexic.

The head girl of Roedean School, Rebecca Hall from Petworth, passed three A-levels and an A/S level with straight As.

She is one of six girls from the Brighton school who will go to Cambridge University, where she plans to study English.

Irene Bermont, Ayesha Noorani and Michelle Wong all achieved five A grades while 11 girls got four As. Year 10 pupil Delaila Israelachvili, 15, achieved a grade A in Italian.

A total of seven students at Bellerby's College in Lorna Road, Hove, achieved three grade As or better and five won places at medical school.

Jane Baker, a spokes-woman for Brighton and Hove High School, said results had greatly improved.

She said 41 per cent of girls had achieved grade As. The number of girls getting A and B grades was 73 per cent and the number achieving A and C results was 85 per cent.

Overall, 16 per cent of candidates got three As or better.

She added: "The girls were really competing against themselves and I think there will be many girls who will be thrilled with their results."