EXAMS were one small step for Hugh – but university could prove a leap into space.

Hugh Gallagher, 18, of Old Town, was one of 71 pupils in St Joseph’s Catholic College’s Upper Sixth receiving their A-level exam results this year.

The science whizz won stellar grades in Further Maths, Maths, Physics and Chemistry, with one A*, an A and two B passes.

“I’m incredibly happy,” Hugh said. He plans to study Aerospace Engineering at Southampton University – his first choice.

Hugh added: “I would say the dream is to work for someone like NASA. I would love to go into space, but I know that’s incredibly difficult.

“I’ve always been fascinated by space.”

Proud dad John Gallagher, 58, said: “It’s fantastic. All the hard work paid off.”

Also enjoying science success was high-achiever John Toop-Rose.

The 18-year-old achieved three A* grades and one A grade, winning him a place to read Maths at world-famous Warwick University.

“It doesn’t really seem real at the moment,” said John, of Old Town. “It’s what I had hoped for.”

Asked what he planned to do when he graduated, John said “who knows”. “Maths is quite broad. It means you can go off and do lots of things: accountancy, business.”

Mum Claire Toop-Rose, 54, added: “I’m just thrilled for him. He’s clever, but he still had to work hard.”

Tearful Chloe Mabberley, 18, of Old Town, was overjoyed to discover that she had got her desired grades. She plans to study History at the University of Exeter.

Chloe said: “I didn’t think I was going to do it.” She admitted to checking online this morning, finding that she had been accepted by Exeter.

“I’m glad I checked this morning,” she said. “I was too scared I wasn’t going to get in.”

Chloe plans to take a year off before going to university next year. She will keep her job at town centre shoe shop Schuh, before travelling abroad.

Mum Jackie Hall, 50, said: “I’m elated. Chloe put her heart and soul into her exams.”

There were surprises for some. Alana Kahan, 18, of North Swindon, opened her results envelope to find she’d done better than expected – with a starred distinction in Drama and an A grade in Sociology and C in English.

“I was really struggling in English over the whole two years. All morning I said to myself I’d be happy with a C and a D.”

But her stellar results won’t change her plans to study Criminology and Sociology at Winchester University.

Alana said: “From when I was little I’ve always watched crime programmes on TV. I’m a big reader and all I read are crime stories.

“I did work experience with Swindon Probation recently. I’d maybe like to work with offenders – something along those lines.”

Teachers at St Joseph’s were delighted with their students’ performance. They had not yet calculated the number of A* to B passes, but said that 54 of their students applied to university.

Tina Foley, head of sixth form at the college, said: “I’m just really proud that the hard work the students put in has paid off.”

Paul Hughes, college principal, extended his congratulations to the students and their parents: “I think the majority of our students got the grades they wanted to get. We wish them all the very best of luck.”

He said that changes to the exams this year, which meant assessment was mainly by exam rather than coursework, had had teachers feeling nervous. “I think all schools were waiting to see how that would play out. You are always worried for students when there are major changes.”

St Joseph’s head of history, Steve Brown, watched nervously as his twin daughters Lucy and Ellie collected their results.

Lucy, 18, will be off to Cardiff University in the autumn to study English Literature – and hopes one day to work in publishing.

“I knew I’d got into Cardiff through the online tracker before we’d got here," Lucy said. "But I didn’t know what grades I’d got.”

Dad and teacher Steve added: “I’m nervous every year before results day, but this year it’s been magnified. You just want them to do well.”