A top class outcome as students celebrate outstanding results

That was the message from Guiseley Headteacher David Lowe after his school notched up some of its best ever A level results.

And most other staff and pupils across Wharfedale, Horsforth and Aireborough had plenty to celebrate once the 2005 grades were announced last week.

Guiseley School itself secured a 99 per cent pass rate with 40 per cent of students gaining A or B grades.

The results mark an improvement over last year's -- also strong -- grades and five Guiseley students (Neil Adams, Emily Bowmer, Isla Kennedy, Helen Pappaionnou and Katie Ruston) managed to get straight As in all their subjects. Another 16 achieved all A or B grades.

Mr Lowe said: "We are very pleased with these results and congratulate both the students and the staff for what has been a lot of hard work by everyone.

"It is always great to see the excitement and the pleasure in students when they have got the grades their hard work deserves.

"They can now look forward to their next steps, be it at university or in a job."

Turning to the perennial argument over whether A levels have become devalued, he said: "It seems that every year there is much talk about whether A levels are getting easier.

"This seems to me something of a sterile argument and it disparages the work of the students and their teachers.

"I want us to be able to celebrate the success of young people who can now look forward with confidence and anticipation to what the future holds."

St Mary's RC Comprehensive at Menston had outstanding results and the average points score per student of 353 points -- equivalent to three A grades, puts them in the top 20 state schools nationally.

Fourteen students achieved straight As, with Christopher Darlow achieving five in mathematics, chemistry, biology, history and general studies along with a B grade in further mathematics.

Christopher will take up a place at Cambridge University in October where he will read medicine.

Rachel Pennington, who is to study for a medical degree at Manchester University, achieved As in biology, mathematics, theology and chemistry. She also collected a B grade in further mathematics.

A further eight students achieved four As and three students gained three As.

Twins Victoria and Gemma Claughton achieved ten passes between them.

Victoria is going to Downing College, Cambridge to read modern and medieval languages while Gemma is to study Combined Social Studies at Durham University.

Alex Fox and Nicola Pieniazek are both heading for Oxford University. Alex with four As and a B will read history at Keble College, while Nicola, who had three As in her four passes, will read earth sciences at St Peter's.

Ninety five per cent of the students at St Mary's will take up university places in the new academic year.

Gerry Sayers, Head of Sixth Form, said: "I am delighted for the students, their parents, and the staff and Governors at St Mary's.

"These results are testimony to the sheer hard work undertaken by all to ensure success at the highest level."

The picture was equally bright in Otley, where Prince Henry's Grammar School where the proportion of students getting A and B grades rose to over 50 per cent, with the overall pass rate also climbing to 97 per cent.

Headteacher John Steel said: "This is a tremendous set of results. I'm particularly pleased with the numbers and quality of top grades having more than 50 per cent of pupils getting grades A and B at A level is phenomenal.

"Certainly within Leeds you're not looking at many places that can match that.

"There were two subjects that stood out, art and history, both performed really well both in the quality of grades and the overall pass rates.

"The success is mostly down to the determination of the students who really wanted those grades as virtually all of our Sixth Formers go on to university."

Mr Steel said he was also pleased with the school's AS and AVCE (Advanced Vocational Courses) res-ults.

In Rawdon, Benton Park Technology College celebrated taking further strides forward, with 98 per cent of students passing and 41 per cent getting an A or B grade.

Amongst the top performers were Amy Child, Claire Farell, Katie Fincham, Tom Robinson, Ryan Stead, Theo Sweeting and Amy Sykes, all of whom gained straight As in their subjects (excluding General Studies).

Benton Park Principal Anne Clarke said: "This is a fabulous achievement by all concerned. We offer a truly comprehensive education and the results show that hard working pupils of all abilities, when supported by a team of extremely professional staff, can reach their potential."

The positive results rounded off a successful year for the school, which earlier received a glowing Ofsted report.

At Horsforth School nearly 50 per cent of all grades were As or Bs and students achieved a 97 per cent pass rate.

Headteacher Steve Jex said: "These first class results reflect the hard work of our students and the commitment of our staff to excellence.

"As a Science College we are delighted to note a 100 per cent pass rate in all science subjects, including AVCE Health and Social Care Course and Geology (Earth Sciences).

"However, our success is by no means limited to the sciences - across the board we have had superb results."

Mr Jex picked out the following students for special praise: Malcolm Reynolds and Rowena Mitchell, for gaining 5 grade As each; Ellen Beardsworth, Htet Ei Bo and Liam Whittington, who each achieved 4 grade As; and Martin Cawood, Anna Coatman, Angela Cullen, Jack Darby, Kyle Hastings and Heather Healy, who all gained 3 grade As.

The school is looking to build on its success with the opening of a new block on September 1 which will house the biggest sixth form in its history.

Across the country, the pass rate in this year's A-levels rose very slightly (from 96 per cent in 2004) to a record 96.2 percent, with the number of entries also at an all-time high.

Leeds City Council and Education Leeds said early indications showed this area had done even better, with the overall pass rate up by around five per cent.

Leeds Grammar School pupils from Menston are among the country's top achievers in A-levels this year.

Richard Ettenfield has four straight As in Economics, Maths, Further Maths and Physics, while Chris Mason achieved one of the top five marks in the country for his AQA Art & Design. Chris has a further two As in English Literature and Medieval History.

Bradford Grammar School pupil Andrew Goodman, of Guiseley, gained a top five mark in Economics and Spanish respectively.

Ilkley Grammar School is again celebrating a high achieving set of A level results.

With a pass rate of 97.7 per cent, almost half of all students (48 per cent) achieved the top A/B grades and 25 per cent As.

Over three-quarters registered grades A-C (75.3per cent).

Four students struck gold with four A grades each: Rebecca Brown, Sarah Cattlin, Richard Foster and Frances White. Seventeen achieved three or more grade As. Holly Roper-Newman scored one of the top five marks in Art and Design in the country.