THE stage is set for another record year as thousands of youngsters pick up their GCSE results today.

At Manor School, in York, head teacher Brian Crosby said 87 per cent of students achieved grades A*- C, a near seven per cent increase on last year (80.5 per cent). One student was today receiving ten A* GCSEs.

Mr Crosby said: "I am absolutely delighted with these results. I think this is the first time a state school in York has got over 80 per cent two years running.

"Four or five years ago, Manor didn't have an ICT course and, this year, we got 98 per cent pass at A* to C and it's our most popular course. These kind of grades will stand pupils in great stead for the future.

"In English, 90 per cent got C and above, and 95 per cent of students passed with C or above in English literature, showing that the basics are also in place."

Staff and pupils at Oaklands School, in Acomb, were celebrating their best-ever Key Stage 3 and GCSE results.

Head teacher David Ellis said 50 per cent of the students achieved an A* to C grade - crushing last year's record of 42 per cent.

Mr Ellis said: "This is a massive increase really when you consider that three years ago, in 2003, 23 per cent of students at Oaklands were getting A*-C.

"At the moment, schools have only received maths and science Key Stage 3 results, but again they are the best the school has ever had."

Bootham School was celebrating another outstanding set of results following Jan Sramek's stunning ten A- Levels last week.

Today's GCSE results reveal that as many as 13 students have racked up ten or more A/A* grades, with one pupil notching a total of 12 A and A* grades.

Overall, the results show girls have performed equally well across the subjects, with high grades in the reported shortage areas of maths, physics and modern languages.

Head teacher Jonathan Taylor said: "It is another set of very good results as expected - with both the top achievers and the middle rankers having cause for celebration today.

"I believe that it is Bootham's unique atmosphere, based on its Quaker ethos of warmth and care for the individual child, which creates the environment for productive work and sustained learning."

See Friday's Press for 12-page results pull-out.