MATHS and science are making a comeback.

Take-up of the sciences, maths, and further maths, accounted for almost a quarter of all A levels nationwide this year, and at Stonyhurst College, Clitheroe, almost half of its pupils achieved an A grade in the subjects.

The news has been welcomed by the government after a gradual decline in recent years of the popularity of STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects.

Blackburn's Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, which has a strong tradition of promoting science and maths, has also been working hard to boost numbers through its work with the Ogden Trust Sixth Form Science Scholarship.

This year's scholarship pupils Atika Patel and Mehreen Solkar are both to study medicine at university after getting top grades.

Schools Minister Jim Knight said: "It is encouraging too that the numbers of students taking maths and science subjects are on the rise.

"We recognise their crucial importance to the UK economy and want to accelerate this trend over the coming years."

Across the board, the national pass rate has risen once again, but schools have leapt to the defence of pupils and staff in the face of now familiar criticism that exams are getting easier.

Lillian Croston, principal of Westholme School, Blackburn, said; "The media play down the achievements of students today, but these results take a lot of hard work and an A grade is just as special as it was 20 years ago."

Mike Cresswell, director general of the biggest exam board AQA, said: "Whatever people want to say about how it was much harder in their day, we want to say the students have done very well. They are a success story and we should be proud of them."