BRIGHT spark Sheena Lam was today celebrating six of the best.

Sheena, a pupil at Westholme School, Blackburn, already had one grade A at A-level and today picked up another five top grades.

And Sheena's success is made even more remarkable by the fact that English is her second language.

Westholme principal Lilian Croston said: "Sheena's family came from Hong Kong in 1995. Mr Lam came first and worked as a manager for a refrigeration company where he met a Westholme parent who recommended the school.

"Once established, he sent for his family, so one day Sheena was in Hong Kong and the next she was at Westholme. It was as sudden as that. She settled in very quickly and cheerfully.

Eight of Sheena's pals at Westholme picked up four grade As each and the school's overall pass rate was 97 percent with an astonishing 100 per cent pass rate in 24 subjects. Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School pupils Rebecca Hayhurst from Accrington and Catherine Trickett from Stacksteads also scooped five grade As each.

And their friends Taslima Choudhury from Haslingden, Jennifer Batt from Rawtenstall, Andrew Holt from Crawshawbooth and Gemma Walmsley of Rawtenstall, all collected four grade As each.

Arthur Robinson, deputy head at BRGS said: "These excellent results show our students work hard as well as play hard."

The results at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Blackburn, were described as "simply outstanding" by headteacher Dr David Hempsall. The overall pass rate topped 95 per cent while, for the second year running, more than 60 per cent of all entries were at the top two grades A and B. Blackburn College students were also celebrating with a 92 per cent pass rate for full-time A level students.

Prinicpal Sheena Ewing said: "I want to congratulate all our students on these excellent results. We also had 12 students who gained three or more passes at grade A and we had a 100 per cent pass rate in 12 subjects."

The number of A Level exams taken across the country decreased on last year, but the results showed a small improvement in performance.

More than 88 percent of candidates passed their exams at grades A to E, and the percentage of students awarded Grade A increased by 0.7 per cent on 1998.

David Hart, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: "This year's results demonstrate clearly that student achievement continues to be on the up and up. Once again they give the lie to professional moaners who criticise educational standards.

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