TODAY the nervous wait is over for students collecting their A-Level results as national figures show the proportion of exams awarded an A grade rose for the first time in six years.

Eighteen-year-olds will be returning to schools and colleges around Furness, South Lakes and Millom to find out what grades they achieved.

The young people can hopefully breathe a sigh of relief, celebrate with friends and tutors, and look forward to starting university degrees and higher apprenticeships.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Delighted for Georgia Shippen (ABC) & Hoi Wing Lee (A*AB) <a href="https://twitter.com/b6fc">@b6fc</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ALevels?src=hash">#ALevels</a> they worked with <a href="https://twitter.com/NWEMlive">@NWEMlive</a> on the Inspiring Times youth paper <a href="https://t.co/QFBfgORosm">pic.twitter.com/QFBfgORosm</a></p>— Natalie Chapples (@nchapplesNWEM) <a href="https://twitter.com/nchapplesNWEM/status/898073075048218624">August 17, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Congrats to Niall Cameron 3A*s & off to Leeds for accounting & Olivia Bradley BBC & doing a higher apprenticeship @ BAE <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ALevels?src=hash">#ALevels</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/b6fc">@b6fc</a> <a href="https://t.co/UuJoH3cP5h">pic.twitter.com/UuJoH3cP5h</a></p>— Natalie Chapples (@nchapplesNWEM) <a href="https://twitter.com/nchapplesNWEM/status/898076050256777216">August 17, 2017</a>

Nationally, more than one in four A-Level entries scored at least an A grade this year as the proportion of exams awarded the highest results rose for the first time in six years.

Meanwhile, the number of students accepted on to UK degree courses has fallen with 416,310 taking up places so far, down two per cent on the same point last year, initial Ucas figures show.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Well done, Katie Moncrief ABC & Ella Bickerstaff BCD <a href="https://twitter.com/b6fc">@b6fc</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ALevel?src=hash">#ALevel</a> these girls are doing apprenticeships next <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MailResults?src=hash">#MailResults</a> <a href="https://t.co/gNdid9mpgW">pic.twitter.com/gNdid9mpgW</a></p>— Natalie Chapples (@nchapplesNWEM) <a href="https://twitter.com/nchapplesNWEM/status/898089396125265921">August 17, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">He did it, Ben O'Flynn 2A*s 2As <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ALevels?src=hash">#ALevels</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/b6fc">@b6fc</a> he's off to Lancaster for biomedical sciences <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MailResults?src=hash">#MailResults</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Congrats?src=hash">#Congrats</a> <a href="https://t.co/9CEzcVhWyP">pic.twitter.com/9CEzcVhWyP</a></p>— Natalie Chapples (@nchapplesNWEM) <a href="https://twitter.com/nchapplesNWEM/status/898087104630194176">August 17, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">She's a bit pleased - Laura Street A*AA & off to Leeds for medical sciences <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ALevels?src=hash">#ALevels</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/b6fc">@b6fc</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MailResults?src=hash">#MailResults</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Congrats?src=hash">#Congrats</a> <a href="https://t.co/5uJy4NFf8e">pic.twitter.com/5uJy4NFf8e</a></p>— Natalie Chapples (@nchapplesNWEM) <a href="https://twitter.com/nchapplesNWEM/status/898080712422830080">August 17, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Congratulations to <a href="https://twitter.com/ChetwyndeSchool">@ChetwyndeSchool</a> headgirl Emily Duerden A* & 2As off to Durham to study chemistry <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ALevels?src=hash">#ALevels</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MailResults?src=hash">#MailResults</a> <a href="https://t.co/JCEW6wrotm">pic.twitter.com/JCEW6wrotm</a></p>— Natalie Chapples (@nchapplesNWEM) <a href="https://twitter.com/nchapplesNWEM/status/898098736445960192">August 17, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ALevels?src=hash">#ALevels</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ChetwyndeSchool">@ChetwyndeSchool</a> Louis Williams BBC & taking a gap year to teach in Spain & Jannah Holmes A*AC & doing medicine @ Hull York <a href="https://t.co/7ZuKKJEpCa">pic.twitter.com/7ZuKKJEpCa</a></p>— Natalie Chapples (@nchapplesNWEM) <a href="https://twitter.com/nchapplesNWEM/status/898100726060244993">August 17, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Last year of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ALevels?src=hash">#ALevels</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ChetwyndeSchool">@ChetwyndeSchool</a> & head Sian Jeffreys congratulates students and staff on an excellent set of results <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MailResults?src=hash">#MailResults</a> <a href="https://t.co/CaCZRRejdz">pic.twitter.com/CaCZRRejdz</a></p>— Natalie Chapples (@nchapplesNWEM) <a href="https://twitter.com/nchapplesNWEM/status/898105018603233280">August 17, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Congrats William Hird <a href="https://twitter.com/ChetwyndeSchool">@ChetwyndeSchool</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ALevels?src=hash">#ALevels</a> 3Bs & off to <a href="https://twitter.com/furness_college">@furness_college</a> to study engineering & then aims to do a higher apprenticeship <a href="https://t.co/mXHUYU93CV">pic.twitter.com/mXHUYU93CV</a></p>— Natalie Chapples (@nchapplesNWEM) <a href="https://twitter.com/nchapplesNWEM/status/898109980133515264">August 17, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

</blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Good Luck to Ben from <a href="https://twitter.com/b6fc">@b6fc</a> and everyone collecting <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ALevels?src=hash">#ALevels</a> across South Cumbria and the Millom area this Thursday <a href="https://t.co/e8mMYVaXvU">https://t.co/e8mMYVaXvU</a> <a href="https://t.co/VgUuyoz4SD">pic.twitter.com/VgUuyoz4SD</a></p>— Natalie Chapples (@nchapplesNWEM) <a href="https://twitter.com/nchapplesNWEM/status/897521741362278400">August 15, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The Mail team will bring you the celebrations news, photos and videos from our schools and colleges. We will have updates from Barrow Sixth Form College, Chetwynde School, Ulverston Victoria High School, Millom School and The Lakes School.

*See our coverage here at nwemail.co.uk and on The Mail Facebook page and Twitter page @NWEMlive .

Why not share your A-Level selfies and congratulate your friends and loved ones on their A-Level success on our Facebook page and Twitter feed using the hashtags #ALevels #MailResults .

The Mail will also publish an A-Levels results special in print tomorrow.