THE "vast majority" of Bradford schools have seen A-Level grades improve this year, after thousands of young people collected their results yesterday.

The good news for local pupils came as nationally the proportion of A-levels scoring the highest grades increased for the first time in six years.

Figures for England, Wales and Northern Ireland show more than one in four (26.3 per cent) A-level entries scored an A* or A this summer, up 0.5 percentage points on 2016.

And locally many schools saw a rise in pupil achievement, with some inspiring success stories from individual students.

Bradford College saw a "significant rise" in A-Level students getting top grades. had increased the number of A-Level courses on offer from 17 to 26, and in two subjects, Physics and English Literature, the pass rate was 100 per cent.

The perfect physics score comes just a month after the college was awarded STEM Assured status in recognition of how well it delivers education in science, technology, engineering and maths.

Grange Technology College saw a "welcome improvement" in results - a year after the school was placed in special measures.

Principal Alison Mander said: “These results signify another step in the right direction here at Grange. We are extremely proud of our students’ achievements and delighted to see their commitment, determination and hard work paying off today."

Bradford Grammar School’s 127 A Level students were celebrating after with 21 per cent of all exams were awarded A* and 56 per cent A*/A grades, both up on last year.

Anish Pulavarti, a keen cricketer from Bingley, was accepted to study Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College after getting straight A*s.

Dixons City Academy student Zainab Haider will be studying Psychology at Cambridge after getting an A* and 2 As. She said the new style of A Levels meant she was not as prepared for the exams as she would have liked, but added: "I worked hard at these exams and everything works out if you put the effort in." She hopes for a career in research.

At Beckfoot School in Bingley, Jake Jones, from Shipley, found out he had got three A*s in his A-Levels, although he only needed two E grades to get a space at his chosen college.

The talented trombone player, who plays for the National Youth Orchestra, had already achieved a scholarship to study at Guildhall Music College. He said: "I didn't need the grades, but I really wanted to do well anyway. It is good to have these grades as something to fall back on."

Tong Leadership Academy pupil Wesley Condron secured a place at Oxford University to study Engineering. He achieved three A*s in Chemistry, Maths and Physics, and As in Further Maths and the Extended Project.

He said: “I am really pleased with my results. I am looking forward to studying at Oxford University and hope to have a career as a Mechanical Engineer.”

Although results from different schools are still being collected, Councillor Imran Khan, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Education, Employment and Skills said: “The early signs from the provisional results we have so far are very encouraging with the majority of schools in the district seeing their grades improve this year.

“We know that today’s success is the culmination of years of hard work by our young people and the dedicated staff in schools across the district.

“The indications we have from the results of 22 of the 28 secondary schools across Bradford district are certainly positive. The vast majority of these schools have seen their average A-level grades improve compared with last year.

"There are also signs of strong success among students taking vocational and technical qualifications.

“As the country’s youngest city the success of our young people is crucial to the future of our district. I am very pleased to see these initial results are positive. I would like to congratulate Bradford students on their achievements and wish them the very best for their future.”