HABERGHAM High School, Burnley, is celebrating a record year of unprecedented success.

Head teacher David Clayton told an awards-night audience: "It has been a record-breaking year with academic, sporting and cultural achievements where targets have been exceeded and successes have reached an unprecedented level."

The A-level percentage pass rate surpassed all previous records and was among the best in the country.

A-level chemistry students competed against major north west public schools and came top in a contest held at the University of Manchester.

GCSE results saw the highest percentage of A and A* passes in the school's history and pupils of all abilities shone in the exams. Of students taking science, 84 per cent achieved a grade C or above - the national figure is 48 per cent.

In sport there was success for the girls in athletics, the first 11 football team and a new sixth form climbing and mountaineering group was launched.

Former students too have contributed to the school's success.

One is now the head of Nelson-based PDS Engineering which manufactured the wheels and axles for the world land speed record breaking car Thrust SSC.

Two others are members of the chart-topping Chumbawumba who had a recent Top Ten hit with Tubthumping.

The school has also formed links with the Sapporo School in Japan and cemented connections with schools in France and Germany.

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