THE Krypton Factor's Gordon Burns presented the prizes to super pupils at Harper Green School's awards evening. The TV quizmaster was rounding off a particularly successful school year for the Farnworth school.

Harper Green's head teacher Alan Atherton told his audience at Bolton's Albert Halls that pupils had achieved the best ever exam results this year.

He told past and present pupils and parents that 36 per cent of pupils attained at least five A to C grades in GCSE exams.

Mr Atherton praised not only hardworking pupils for their achievements but also paid tribute to teachers.

He said: "It really is astonishing how one individual teacher can manage, direct and interact with 25 to 30 young people, often in a confined space for as long as an hour and a half. And, what is more, make the whole business interesting, entertaining, enjoyable and effective.

"I certainly feel uplifted when I observe my colleagues at work, displaying their skill and expertise." However Mr Atherton added that schools should not just concentrate on exam results.

He said: "The best schools are those in which individual pupils can find interest, excitement and pleasure; a place where they feel safe and happy and have opportunities to be introduced to new skills, new ideas and new experiences."

Mr Atherton concluded his speech by commenting on the recent media attention given to disruptive pupils who cause havoc in the classroom.

He said Harper Green had one of the lowest pupil exclusion rates in the borough.

"We must not let individual badly behaved pupils spoil the best laid plans of the teachers and must not let the educational process of a whole group be affected by an anti-social or deliberately disruptive pupil.

"This is something we feel strongly about at Harper Green and will continue to ensure that it does not happen."

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