A SCHOOL in Bolton is among the top 25 per cent fee paying schools in the country and among the best performing in Greater Manchester, new figures show.

Bolton School girls’ division was place 81st out of 329 in an independent school league table compiled by the The Telegraph.

The rankings have been compiled by the proportion of exam entries graded A*/A in their GCSEs.

In the girls’ division, 34.74 per cent of all exams received the highest grade of A* while 71.12 per cent were A or A*, placing it in the top quarter of all schools. The results also placed Bolton School girls’ division fourth out of 11 independent schools in Greater Manchester.

Top of the regional table was Withington Girls’ Grammar School and top of the national table was North London Collegiate School.

Sue Hincks, headmistress of Bolton School girls’ division, said:“We are all delighted with a very impressive set of GCSE results. The stimulating curriculum which our girls follow is designed to cultivate their intellectual curiosity and love of learning, and we are really pleased that their achievements – and the hard work of their teachers – has been recognised in this way. The value added grades for all the girls are superb.

“Two thirds of the girls achieved at least eight A or A* grades. A fifth of the girls achieved 8 A* grades or higher with one girl gaining 13 A* grades and seven girls achieving 11 or more A* grades.”