STAFF and pupils at Barnard Castle School were celebrating several success stories with scores of students gaining straight A grades.

The highest flier was Sally Barker, of Bishopton, who secured a place at Oxford University to study modern languages by gaining four A-level grade As and an A at AS-level.

Andrew Pettler, of School Aycliffe, and Eamonn King, of Bishop Auckland, both got four grade As and will study maths at Oxford University and chemical engineering at Nottingham respectively.

Fellow students Nick Charlesworth, Frances Petterson, Stephanie Spowart and Stuart Walker were all award three A-level grade As and one A at AS-level.

Schools in the south of the county saw an increase in overall attainment for both boys and girls giving more students a chance to go into further education.

Frank O'Neill, deputy headteacher at St John's RC School, in Bishop Auckland, was thrilled to see a four per cent rise in students achieving A and B grades and a ten per cent rise for students getting A to Cs

Natalie makes the grade with UK's best

A NORTH-EAST student achieved one of the top marks in the country for A-level law.

Natalie Bolton, 18, from Coundon, near Bishop Auckland, picked up an A grade at Darlington's Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College.

Examination board AQA awarded her one of the top five marks in the country.

College principal David Heaton said: "Natalie is the 15th student from this college in the last six years to achieve a top mark nationally. I am delighted for her."

Natalie also got A grades for IT and travel and tourism and a B in general studies. She plans to take a year out before going to university.