Keighley schools have once again achieved top-class A-level results.

Many examples of outstanding individual achievement were unveiled as students learned yesterday if they had made the grade.

At South Craven School the A-level pass rate - excluding general studies - was up by five per cent to 83.3 per cent. The proportion of A and B grades increased by three per cent, and there was a 100 per cent pass rate in seven subjects.

Deputy head David Birks says the school is delighted with the results, at AS and GNVQ as well as A-level. At Advanced GNVQ, four students achieved distinctions.

Top A-level achievers included Ellen Shardlow with four A grades, who has gained a place at Heriot-Watt University at Edinburgh.

The school is once again offering its post-results service to students needing support.

Conor Davis, head at Holy Family School, was delighted with his pupils' achievements. He says: "I am very pleased. We have had an 89 per cent pass rate overall and the national pass rate was 88 per cent. We had 100 per cent passes in chemistry, English literature, further maths, maths, art, physics, psychology, sociology, French and geography."

All 30 pupils in the sixth form took A-levels.

At Greenhead, the pass rate was also excellent and more than half the entrants achieved grades A-C.

Head Miles Mizon says the average points score - a key indicator - was 13.1, comparable with last year's figures and about the average for Bradford district. There was a 100 per cent pass rate in chemistry, geography, performing arts, sociology and technology, and good results in English and biology.

Outstanding performers included Shazman Zaman who got an A in sociology, a B in performing arts and a C in English. She hopes to study law, probably at Nottingham. Four students in the lower sixth form had done A-levels after only a year - one got a grade A and the others B.

Mr Mizon adds: "We are still waiting for details of GNVQs. At advanced level we had excellent results in health and social care. One got a distinction and five got merits."

Oakbank head teacher John Roberts says his school's results are very much as expected. They are slightly down on last year due partly he says to the fact there was a 13 per cent increase in candidates and the highest-ever number of entries.

Best-ever results were achieved in English and art - almost half the candidates gained A grades. There were 100 per cent pass rates in physics, chemistry, design technology, French and German, art, music, media, physical education and dance.

Outstanding individuals included Sarah Claybourne who gained four A grades and other excellent results were achieved by Matthew Hollings, Catherine Parker, Tristan Partridge, John Taylor and Matthew Whitaker.

Students taking advanced GNVQs in business, health and social care have produced significantly improved results. Of the 17 students, five gained distinctions, 11 merits and one pass. All of those who have applied to universities have been offered places.

Full results, stories, photographs and

student reaction, pages 7, 8 & 9

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.