A 'brilliant' year for Paston Sixth Form College was celebrated at its annual awards evening.

Eastern Daily Press: Paston College awards evening. Ciara Simpson collecting the Kristopher Harper prize.Paston College awards evening. Ciara Simpson collecting the Kristopher Harper prize. (Image: Archant)

Principal Kevin Grieve welcomed over more than 200 students and their parents to a packed North Walsham parish church.

He said: 'It has been a brilliant year for the College with the students achieving some of our best ever A level and BTEC results.'

He was particularly pleased with a 98pc A level pass rate and a 100pc pass rate on BTEC courses.

A level results also included an 'incredible' 49pc A*-B pass rate and A*-C rate of 75pc. In BTEC 67pc of the students achieved high grades with many students achieving triple star distinction level.

More than 250 students were going to University including 15pc going to top Russell Group Universities and a record six students gaining places to Oxford and Cambridge.

Many other students were going straight in to employment and apprenticeships having secured some 'fantastic opportunities' in a range of industries such as retailing, finance, IT engineering and science.

A Futures event which attracted 20 universities and 40 employers had inspired students to be ambitious with their career choices.

Guest speaker Mark Bruhin, founder and managing director of Beacon East which was instrumental in organising the Futures event, gave tips to students on meeting the challenges of the work places, particularly with the pace of changing technology.