WEAVERHAM High's headteacher David Charlton, ended his first year in the job in style this week - by celebrating the school's excellent GCSE results.

The proportion of Year 11 students at the school who achieved five or more GSCE examinations at grade C or higher has continued to improve once again.

And Mr Charlton, who only took over the role of headteacher in January, attributed the school's improvements to the increasing number of pupils achieving grade C or higher in design and technology, as well as the success of GNVQ courses introduced over the past few years.

"These improvements are a direct result of the technology college status that Weaverham High School has achieved and through technology status we have been able to improve the facilities for teaching all aspects of design and technology," he said.

"The continued high level of academic success of pupils is a reflection of the hard work of both teachers and the pupils themselves.

"Many of our teachers hold additional lessons outside school time to help pupils revise or to complete their coursework to a higher standard."

Pupils who achieved particular success include Laura Bright, Lauren Doughton, Thomas Parkinson, Hannah Stockton, David Leech, Kirsty Maclaine and Natalie Rae, who all achieved 10 GCSEs at grade A or A*.

Mr Charlton added: "This is an excellent achievement especially as most of these pupils sat their mathematics GCSE exams a year early.

"Although we are very pleased with our results we will not be resting on our laurels but are continuing to introduce measures such as our literacy school, held during the summer holiday, to ensure continue success."

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.