ELTON High School's headteacher reflected on a "fantastic" year during a presentation of prizes and awards held at the specialist arts college.

Mr Neil Scruton detailed a number of achievements embracing personnel, premises, exam results, curriculum and organisation when he addressed staff, pupils and guests at the presentation event.

He disclosed that Elton High had achieved Investor in People status as well as becoming the only organisation in Bury to receive a leadership and management citation.

Turning to on-site work, Mr Scruton added: "The completion of the arts college project, providing four outstanding design studios, has added a tremendous resource to the experience of our young people. Together with this project, better accommodation for mathematics, special educational needs and modern foreign languages has produced a significantly improved environment for our students. We have made particularly good progress in relation to access and facilities for the disabled."

On the academic achievements front, the headteacher went on: "In 2005, we achieved record SAT and GCSE results, well above both national and local levels of performance. Our year nine students achieved record levels in each of science, English and mathematics with outstanding results in the latter. GCSE results were at a record five A*-C level of 61 per cent, with boys performing as well as girls for the first time."

This year has also seen Elton attain its highest levels of attendance ever. And to support its cutting edge work in this field, the school has received a £6,000 local authority grant.

Numerous special events were also staged during the past year. These included a huge concert to raise money for the Tsunami Appeal, the artwork of two students being exhibited at the Royal Academy in London and the year seven girls' five-a-side soccer team winning the Greater Manchester title and reaching the last four in the all-England Championship.

Mr Scruton said: "We look forward to the coming year with confidence."