Percentage of 'A' graders in Manchester schools higher than schools nationally

The percentage of A levels sat by students at Manchester schools and awarded top 'A' grades in exam results published today is higher than that nationally.

Students at the three Manchester schools that offer A levels are celebrating record results that prove continued hard work by pupils and excellent teaching really do add up to success.

Today's results show that provisionally 28.2% of exams sat by Manchester pupils were awarded top marks against a national average of only 26.7%, and that locally 57.1% overall of exams were awarded grades A-B against a national average of only 52%. The percentage of exams sat in Manchester awarded grades A-C is also higher at 79.1% than the national average of only 75.1%.

At Parrs Wood High School in Didsbury pupils and staff are celebrating the school's best ever A level results with 31% 'A' grades (up from 26% last year). The number of pupils achieving grades A-C are also up with 84% of all exams taken graded A-C (up from 75% last year).

Four students at the school - Abi Stark, Jenny Rae, Lorna Petty and Philip Hampson - achieved four grade As, and a further 28 students achieved 3 grade As. University places await the vast majority of pupils at the school and each of the nine pupils who were hoping to go to Oxford and Cambridge universities have been successful.

Tarun Kapur, Executive Headteacher at the school, said: "We are delighted with this year's record breaking results. We have achieved a higher than national increase in our grades and a 7 percentage point rise since last year in our A-Cs. This is down to the incredible amount of hard work and preparation by pupils and staff alike, and is very well deserved.

"We pride ourselves on offering fantastic opportunities to young people, and with 32 students gaining 3 or more A grades, there can be no doubt that this really is the case."

At Whalley Range High School for Girls today's results saw 50% of exams taken awarded at grades A-C, and 7% given top 'A' grades.

Patsy Kane, Headteacher at the school, said: "We're really pleased with our results - they reflect an enormous amount of hard work by pupils and staff and I'm very proud of them."

In north Manchester at King David High School, Crumpsall pupils and staff are celebrating 38.9% of exams being awarded at grade A, and 92.2% of exams being awarded at grades A-C.

Councillor Sheila Newman, Executive Member for Children's Services, Manchester City Council, said: "These are fantastic results for the city and they show that hard work by pupils and excellent teaching really do add up to success.

"Backed up as it is by the single biggest school rebuilding and refurbishment programme of its kind in the city since Victorian times, pupils at schools in Manchester now have the best possible chance not just to aim for the top, but to reach it."