BOLTON School's water polo team are celebrating a top academic and sporting year.

The team won the English School's under-16s national competition while revising for their GCSE exams in which they achieved a cluster of As and A* in their subjects

David Price, aged 16, said: "It has been a superb year topped off by great GCSE results."

Bill Moore, aged 16, said: "We had to manage our time and teachers were very good. We trained before and after school."

Ellie Broome, aged 16, managed her sporting commitments playing golf and lacrosse and her studies to achieve an A* four As four Bs and a C.

Saxophonist Zoe Stirzaker, aged 16, achieved academic success with nine A* and 2As. Ellie said: "It was a quite a tough year, balancing both my sports and studies, but you just do it."

The girls' division set a new record for the highest percentage of girls attaining at least 11 A* to C grades and the number of top grades was up.

Headmistress Sue Hincks said: "I am especially pleased that 100 per cent of the girls got their English, Maths & Science GCSEs. It is wonderful to see the girls’ exceptional results and I am delighted for them and their teachers that their talents and hard work have been so richly rewarded.”

At the boys' division, the percentage of pupils graded A* and A was 54.6 per cent up from 52.8 per cent last year.

Headteacher Philip Britton said: "This year we have a record number, one in 10 of the boys, who have achieved A* in all 10 subjects taken. Equally pleasing are those who have worked extremely well to achieve good passes in subjects they have found challenging.”