YOUNG people at Bolton School kept their eye on the ball to be top scorers in this year’s GCSEs.

For they celebrated not only academic success but also in sports, dance and theatre.

Anna Phillips, who plays football for Manchester City and England and trains five times a week and plays matches and secured high GCSE passes ­— a, six 7s, 6, two 8s.

She said: “I revised where I could , there was a lot of training and even more so before we had a game.

“I am thinking going to America in the future after doing my A-levels here. It is important to do your qualifications, even though I want to go as far as I can with football you need something to fall back on.”

High achieving Olivia Stubbs, who achieved grades seven 9s, two 7s, 8 and A* in eight of her subjects, competes in eventing an international level.

She has been riding since was young and would like to continue it professionally and will be competing in her first international at two star level in the near future.

Olivia continued riding while revising.

“I worked really hard and it was a break going for a ride.

Alice Higginbottom moves on to Elmhurst Ballet School and has auditioned for the English National Ballet and Jessica Curtis-Walker heads off to ArtsEd in London to study music and theatre with both achieving high grades.

Alice said: “I have being doing ballet since I was three-years-old , it is scaring going to Birmingham but also exciting because I am doing something I love.

“Straight after my exams I had a big show so I couldn’t miss rehearsal ­— and I had to remember everything for my exams and my dance!”

Two Year 11 girls, Nabilah Thagia and Shreya Kamath, celebrated outstanding exam results ­— all grades at 9/8 or A*­— as well as receiving Arkwright Engineering Scholarships.

Thomas Yates, Daniel Bentham and Tom Simpson all played international water polo and achieved highly.

Thomas, who achieved six 9s, three 8s and A* said: “It was tough with the training and revision, but the experience of playing with Great Britain was fantastic.”

Unfortunately funding means his GB Programme is now over but Thomas is now looking to take up rowing before joining the senior GB programme.

Other highlights from the school include eleven boys achieved ten or more 9/8 or A* grades and a further six had nine or more 9/8 or A* grades. Thomas Britton and Thomas Higham both achieved nine 9s, 8, A8 and Jude Ashcroft secured 14 GCSEs.

Joyce Chan and Yang Yang achieved exceptionally, both having joined Bolton School at the start of Y10 for their GCSE studies from Hong Kong and China respectively.

Joyce, who achieved five 9s, three 8s, 6 and A* is hoping to become a doctor after completing her studies.

She said: “We moved here two years ago after Hong Kong and it was difficult because it is a different system but teachers here really helped and so did my friends/

“I am really pleased with my results.”