BOLTON Boys' and Girls' Schools have been hailed among the top 100 in the country in a prestigious annual list.

The list, entitled The Sunday Times Parent Power, is published in full on Sunday and reveals that the schools rate within the top 10 independent and preparatory schools in the North-west.

The Girls' Division is rated fourth in the North-west and 56th nationwide -- a slip on last year's figures which saw it ranked 39th in the country.

The Boys' Division comes in at seventh in the North west and 83rd in the country -- an improvement on its 112th place last year.

The 56-page list which gives the top 500 independent schools and top 100 preparatory schools based its ranking on the number of A to B grades pupils attained at A-Level and the number of A* to A grades at GCSE this year.

This year the Girls' Division saw 70.6 per cent of pupils gain A* to A grades at GCSE and 75.7 per cent of sixth formers achieve A-Level A and Bs.

For the Boys' Division 64.2 per cent of pupils achieved the GCSE grades and 72.4 per cent at A-Level.

Proving that popularity goes hand-in-hand with success both division are planning to expand their junior sections next year to cope with extra numbers.

From September, 2002 children will be allowed to enter from the age of seven upwards, instead of the previous eight years old.

The school, founded by the first Lord Leverhulme, is also seeing an increase in demand for its senior school and sixth form and further places have been made available.

Girls' Division head Jane Panton said: "The number of students applying for places in the sixth form is a tribute to our academic success and the quality of our teaching."