DESPITE a perfect 100 per cent of pupils achieving five or more good GCSEs, Bury Grammar School again found itself at the "bottom" of the league tables.

The school like many other leading schools has been penalised for putting IGCSEs on the curriculum for some subjects.

A breakdown of the school's results show that one in three grades were at 8 or 9, equivalent to the old A* ­— results which make Bury Grammar School the borough's top performing.

The schools says its pupils sit a combination of IGCSEs and standard GCSEs because teachers choose the examination specifications which best prepare pupils for A-level and university.

READ MORE:Secondary school league tables: Children's progress is below average

READ MORE: League tables: Bury league tables 2019 (004).pdf

Principal, Jo Anderson, said: "We are extremely proud of our pupils’ successes at GCSE, which are the result of a huge amount of hard work, both on their part and that of their teachers."

Headmaster, Devin Cassidy, said: "I could not be more pleased with these GCSE results which are the best for over a decade and are absolutely outstanding.

"In a year when the reformed GCSE has made achieving top grades more difficult, our pupils have very much bucked this trend and they should be very proud of their achievements.

"201 of the grades achieved were at A* or equivalent. But these results were not achieved by accident. They are the result of determined hard work by the pupils, passionate and expert teaching and a strong partnership with parents. I warmly congratulate the pupils on achieving these phenomenal results; I am absolutely over the moon for them."