A COLLECTIVE sigh of relief may have been heard yesterday when pupils received their GCSE results.

Although there was lots to celebrate for many, there were undoubtedly some disappointments. However, those unlucky pupils can always do re-sits at college, so all is not lost!

Bury Council's school standards spokesman, Coun Andrea Hughes, said: "All the indications are that Bury schools have reflected the national trend of improved results.

"It's too early to analyse all the figures yet, but it's looking very good indeed."

It all added up for number crunching students at Tottington High School. Of the 36 pupils in one of the maths groups, 16 achieved A* and 20 earned As.

Bury CE High School also had reason to be cheerful with an historic high. Its record results showed that out of the 126 pupils who sat exams, 69 per cent of them got five or more A* to C grades. Aged only 13, Woodhey High School's Olivia Rothwell amazed everyone by getting an A* in French.

Bury Grammar School (Girls) reported another year of impressive results with pupils achieving an even higher pass rate and percentage of A and A* grades than last year.

In all, 98.4 per cent of all entries were graded A-C and there were no grades below a D. A* and A grades represented 66.1 per cent of all entries.

Forty-two per cent of pupils achieved eight or more A and A* grades and 35 girls achieved nine GCSEs at this level.

A number of pupils in Year 10 were "fast-tracked" in one subject, 95.5 per cent of whom achieved A or A*.

Across the road at Bury Grammar School (Boys), headteacher Mr Keith Richards was elated at the school's best ever result.

"The overall percentage of entries graded at A* to C is 97 per cent which is extremely pleasing ," he said.

Of the 90 fifth-formers who made 778 subject entries, there were 385 A grades (49.5 per cent) of which 140 (18 per cent) were A*.

Those achieving nine A* grades were Umar Choudhury, Sam Ghosh, Garth Hampson and Tejas Shah.

A total of 99 fourth-formers took French resulting in 71 A grades, of which 29 were A*.

Elsewhere in the borough there was plenty of elation. Prestwich High School witnessed a double whammy. Its outstanding pupils were headboy and headgirl, Thomas Leng (16) and Katy Hinchliffe (16).

Thomas, of Cuckoo Lane, Prestwich, achieved six A grades and three A* grades. While Katy, of Highfield Road, Prestwich, earned herself seven A* and two A grades.

St Monica's RC High School scored a new personal best with 386 A*/A grades.

The headteacher of Radcliffe High School, Mrs Glenda Parker, retires this year and what better way to end her career than on a high.

Every single pupil at her school gained at least one A-G grade and 98 per cent gained five.

Castlebrook High School's headteacher Mr John Gannon said: "We are very pleased at the good range of results at our school.

"The staff and pupils deserve credit."

At Elms Bank High School, 18 pupils passed their Certificate of Achievement.

Headteacher Mrs Lynn Lines said: "We have had a tremendous success. Every pupil has achieved at least one pass and many have merits and distinctions, particularly in science."

She congratulated them on their diligence and hard work.

Pictured are Elton belters Rachel Baker of Watling Street (four As and seven Bs), Nicola Wareing of Watling Street (three A*, six As and one B) and Jane Wellock of Newington Drive (one A*, three As, two Cs and four Bs) who all attend Elton High School.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.