THE Royal Grammar School in High Wycombe and Dr Challoner's Grammar School in Amersham are today named among the top schools in the country for GCSE results.

The countrywide results, published today by the Department for Education and Skills, also showed Buckinghamshire to be the top Local Education Authority in the country for GCSE results.

Results at the two boys' schools last summer were their best ever.

At the RGS, 185 boys sat the exams. They all got at least five grades A* to C and averaged just over 12 passes each, even though some of the exams were being taken one or two years early.

The boys' average points score was 69.9, and they passed 58.9 per cent at the two top grades, A* and A.

Four students from the school were named by the exam boards as achieving among the top marks in the country in their subject.

At Dr Challoner's, where 176 boys sat GCSEs, the average score was 70.9, while 64.2 per cent of passes were at the two top grades.

Headteacher Mark Fenton said: "I am delighted with the results and the boys and staff have worked well."

The top-ranking boys' schools appear to have bucked the trend for girls to do better at GCSE.

RGS head Tim Dingle, who has been inundated with requests for interviews by the national media after the figures were released, said he was absolutely delighted.

He praised the hard work put in by his pupils and teachers and the school's supportive parents.

"We will continue to develop excellence in all our pupils," he said.

For more on the Department of Education results and how Bucks schools fared, see tomorrow's Bucks Free Press.

January 23, 2003 10:00