Headteachers are expecting their best-ever A-level pass rates today as thousands of students across Sussex collect their results.

Nationally, the pass rate is expected to exceed last year's 96 per cent while the number of students gaining A grades is expected to rise for the 16th successive year to 23 per cent.

Despite the increases, it has been a nervous wait for students who are anxious to find out whether they have achieved the right grades to get into their chosen universities.

Chris Thomson, principal of Brighton, Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College, said he hoped the college would improve on last year's pass rate of 96 per cent. More than 500 students sat A-levels at the college in Dyke Road this year.

Mr Thomson said: "We know the national pass rate has risen again so we are hoping that we will see an increase here as well.

"Results day is normally a good occasion because the vast majority of students do achieve the grades they need in order to progress to university. It's great to see those who have done well reap the benefits of all their hard work."

Ann Greatorex is headteacher of Brighton and Hove High School in Montpelier Road, which had a 100 per cent pass rate with 93.1 per cent of students gaining A-C grades last year.

Mrs Greatorex said she expected another set of excellent results for the 38 girls who took A-levels this summer. She said: "We are expecting to be congratulating our students on a 100 per cent pass rate and anticipate that all our Oxbridge candidates will get the place of their choice as will those entering LSE. We are very proud of all our students in what is likely to be the best access rate to their first choice for university courses the school has seen."

Pat Hawkes, Brighton and Hove City Council chair of children, families and schools, said: "Our students work hard with excellent support from teachers and support staff in the colleges. We should be rightly proud of our young people."

Peter Corrigan, principal of Worthing College, said he was expecting another set of bumper results.

He said: "This is always a day of great celebration for individual successes and we are delighted these results will represent sustained academic success for Worthing College."

A spokeswoman for West Sussex County Council said about 5,000 students sat A-levels in the county.

She said: "We expect our A-levels to remain high, rising in line with the county's tradition of strong results."

A spokeswoman for East Sussex County Council said: "Our aim is always to improve academic achievement for all students and we hope the results will reflect this. Students deserve to be congratulated for their hard work and we wish them every success."

Full A-level results round-up in The Argus tomorrow