THE Manchester Grammar School (MGS) is celebrating another year of outstanding examination results for its sixth form pupils.

Twenty-eight per cent of grades were at the coveted A* level, 66 per cent of all grades were at A*-A level.

Twelve of the successful students were from Hale, Altrincham and Bowdon.

This year, for the first time in the school’s history, boys were given the opportunity to study the Cambridge Pre-U courses, with a distinction two equivalent to an A* at A-level, and the top grade of distinction one being a grade above A* at A-level.

Thomas Browne, 18 and from Hale, was one of the students who opted for the new qualification gaining a D1 in history plus a D1 in German, an A* in maths and an A in French.

He said: “I’m ecstatic! I just want to say thank you to the teachers at MGS – you can’t do it without them. They put in so many extra hours and to have that kind of motivational support behind you is fantastic – I’m just so happy.

“I really am very pleased about my two D1s as it was a new concept for our school year and we quickly found that it was much harder than the A-level – I suppose that’s made the result all the more satisfying.

“I have an Oxford offer – so I’ll be heading there in September. It’s just amazing. You always get nervous beforehand, but I checked the UCAS website this morning so I knew I had the place at Oxford, but to then see the results in black and white is just amazing.”

His fellow student, Harrison Engler from Bowdon, also secured the D1 in history and he earned 3 As in economics, history and maths.

He added: “I’m very happy about the D1, it was much harder than the A-levels but I’m very pleased with my A-levels too of course.

"I’m sad to be leaving MGS but ready to move on and I’ll be reapplying next year for Oxbridge. In the meantime I’m going to go to Israel for an educational and volunteering programme working in disadvantaged areas - something I’m doing with the Jewish youth group.”

Other students from Hale, Altrincham and Bowdon include; David Lever of Hale, who secured 4 A*s in biology, chemistry, maths and physics; James Pollard from Altrincham, 4A*s in chemistry, maths, further maths and physics; Domini Sandhu from Hale and Altrincham, secured 4A*s in chemistry, maths, further maths, physics and an A in Italian; He Zhou from Altrincham; 4A*s in chemistry, maths, further maths and physics; Rahul Prakash from Altrincham, who secured 3A*s in chemistry, geography and maths; Alexander Steadman from Altrincham, received 3A*s in maths, further maths and physics; Lawrence Webber from Altrincham, who secured 3 A*s in chemistry, economics and maths; Matthias Hoffman-Vagenheim from Altrincham, 2A*s in chemistry and maths, 3as in economics, further maths and politics – and he also has a degree in maths and astrophysics which he attained in year 11 at MGS; and twins Lawrence and Zak Hopkins of Altrincham, of which Lawrence secured 2A*s in Russian and geography and an a in economics, whilst his brother Zak’s results were, 2A*s in art and design and chemistry, plus 2as in biology and physics.

Oxford and Cambridge offered places to 29 MGS boys, with more than 580 offers made to our boys from Russell Group Universities in total. Other destinations to which MGS boys will be heading this autumn include Imperial, UCL, LSE, Durham, Warwick, York, KCL, Manchester, Nottingham and Leeds and Yale and Princeton in America.

Dr Martin Boulton, highmaster at The Manchester Grammar School, concluded: “I am absolutely delighted with the achievements of our boys, which is a true testament to their hard work and dedication.

“It is a source of great pride for us to have seen these boys grow and mature into young men throughout their time here at MGS, and today they have been rewarded with excellent grades and places at some of the most prestigious universities in the world.

“In congratulating them, I would also like to wish them every success as they take the next exciting steps of their academic journeys.”