"BEYOND all expectations" — these words sum up Bury Grammar School's reaction to the glowing set of GCSE results which pupils have achieved.

The school's headmistress has put the "stunning" set of results down to the dedication of pupils and staff who have worked together as a team.

The record-breaking class of 2019 attained an outstanding 140 grade 9s — a 40 per cent increase on last year.

A total of 120 pupils received their results from the Grammar Schools on Thursday. And one third of all results were at grades 9/8.

Jo Anderson, principal and headmistress, said: "The students were all waiting in the Sixth Form cafe, really tense, with lots of pale faces.

"After picking up their results, there were whoops of joy and tears of laughter."

She added: "This has been a really really lovely year group. The staff and pupils have always felt like we were working together. They have listened to advice. They really desperately wanted to do well. It genuinely felt like it was a team effort.

"There was a teacher here this morning who cried when she opened the results; there is a pupil she has been working with for several years who is really really bright but who struggles to get her thoughts down on paper. We were unsure what her results would be but she has done incredibly well.

"We really want the best for our students so we are really thrilled."

Further improvements on last year include the increase of grades 9-5, which stands at 90 per cent, as well as the overall pass rate, which totalled 98 per cent.