The percentage of A-levels sat by students at Manchester schools and awarded ‘A’ grades in exam results published is higher than that nationally.

And this is the first year that the new ‘A*’ grade has been awarded, with 8.6% of pupils achieving the top grade, compared to 8% nationally.

The overall pass rate A*-E for Manchester was 99%, which is 1.4% higher than the national figure of 97.6%.

The proportion of A-Levels at grade A* and A for Manchester was 29%, which is 2% higher than the national figure of 27%.

At Parrs Wood High School in Didsbury, pupils and staff celebrated the school’s A-level results with 26% of A* and A Grades. The number of pupils achieving grades A* – C is 77% with an overall pass rate of 99%. Sixteen pupils at the school got straight A*s and As.

Deputy Headteacher Andrew Shakos, who will take over the headship of the school in September, said: “Our students have put in an incredible amount of hard work and have been dedicated and committed to their studies. We have had an exceptional year group and are very proud of their results. We believe that the majority of pupils who applied have also been accepted into their first choice of university.”

At Whalley Range High School for Girls, today’s exam results saw 41% of pupils awarded grades A*-B with 25% awarded top A* and A grades. The school’s overall pass rate (for all grades, including vocational courses) is up on last year at 99.3%.

Headteacher Patsy Kane said: “I am very proud of the pupils and pleased with the results which have improved again on last year.”

North Manchester’s King David High School’s pupils and staff celebrated a 99.5% pass rate, with 38% of pupils achieving A*s and A grades. 94% of pupils achieved A* – Cs, with six pupils going to Oxford or Cambridge universities.

Councillor Sheila Newman, executive member for children’s services at Manchester City Council said: “The A level results are fantastic for the city and show once again that Manchester schools have achieved higher grades than the national average. This highlights the dedicated, hard work put in by the pupils and staff alike and the continued quality of teaching standards.”

Source: Manchester City Council

The percentage of A-levels sat by students at Manchester schools and awarded ‘A’ grades in exam results published is higher than that nationally.

And this is the first year that the new ‘A*’ grade has been awarded, with 8.6% of pupils achieving the top grade, compared to 8% nationally.

The overall pass rate A*-E for Manchester was 99%, which is 1.4% higher than the national figure of 97.6%.

The proportion of A-Levels at grade A* and A for Manchester was 29%, which is 2% higher than the national figure of 27%.

At Parrs Wood High School in Didsbury, pupils and staff celebrated the school’s A-level results with 26% of A* and A Grades. The number of pupils achieving grades A* – C is 77% with an overall pass rate of 99%. Sixteen pupils at the school got straight A*s and As.

Deputy Headteacher Andrew Shakos, who will take over the headship of the school in September, said: “Our students have put in an incredible amount of hard work and have been dedicated and committed to their studies. We have had an exceptional year group and are very proud of their results. We believe that the majority of pupils who applied have also been accepted into their first choice of university.”

At Whalley Range High School for Girls, today’s exam results saw 41% of pupils awarded grades A*-B with 25% awarded top A* and A grades. The school’s overall pass rate (for all grades, including vocational courses) is up on last year at 99.3%.

Headteacher Patsy Kane said: “I am very proud of the pupils and pleased with the results which have improved again on last year.”

North Manchester’s King David High School’s pupils and staff celebrated a 99.5% pass rate, with 38% of pupils achieving A*s and A grades. 94% of pupils achieved A* – Cs, with six pupils going to Oxford or Cambridge universities.

Councillor Sheila Newman, executive member for children’s services at Manchester City Council said: “The A level results are fantastic for the city and show once again that Manchester schools have achieved higher grades than the national average. This highlights the dedicated, hard work put in by the pupils and staff alike and the continued quality of teaching standards.”

Source: Manchester City Council

Manchester Science Parks (msp) has welcomed new tenant, Name Your Number Ltd (NYN), to its Corridor site, one of msp’s four current locations.

NYN provides white label software solutions that allow mobile phone networks to generate new revenue by offering personalised mobile numbers. The business also provides networks with behaviour consultancy to help gain and retain customers.

NYN has offices in Spain and Argentina and works on an international scale. The business decided to make Manchester Science Parks its UK hub to take advantage of the business collaboration opportunities available with other tenants.

Attiq Qureshi, CTO at NYN, said of the move: “While we consider ourselves a global business, we felt having a base at msp allowed us to work collaboratively with our technology partners as well as take advantage of other business support organisations in the wider Manchester area.

“Locating at msp was a natural choice for us. The fact that it is a home to so many innovation-led businesses means that we can link in with other tenants to further develop our technologies, while maintaining our international profile due to the site’s proximity to the airport.

“We look forward to establishing ourselves as a firm part of the msp community.”

msp Innovation Services manager, Jan Hilton, added: “We are delighted that NYN decided to make msp their UK base and hope to help facilitate their collaborative intentions.”

Source: Manchester Science Parks

Corridor Manchester has appointed Professor John Brooks, Vice Chancellor of Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) as its new Chair.

Professor John Brooks said: “I am honoured to be appointed chair of Corridor Manchester, the partnership has a very important role to play in the future of the Oxford Road area of the City and I look forward to helping deliver the vision to 2020.

“My appointment is, however, touched with sadness following the death of Professor Alan Gilbert who chaired Corridor Manchester from its start. His strong leadership and commitment to Corridor Manchester has provided me and the Board with clear direction for the future of Corridor Manchester. Alan was a close colleague and he will be sadly missed by me and all who worked with him.”

Corridor Manchester is the first partnership of its kind in the UK and brings together The University of Manchester, Manchester City Council, MMU and the Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to drive economic growth along the Corridor – the Oxford Road area of the City.

Sir Richard Leese, Leader, Manchester City Council and Corridor Manchester board member said: “The development of the knowledge economy and the Low Carbon Economic Area are major priorities for the City Council and Corridor Manchester will be at the forefront of this. I know John will be a very effective chair for Corridor Manchester building on the hard work by Professor Alan Gilbert.”

Jackie Potter, Chief Executive, Corridor Manchester said: “John is an excellent choice as chair for Corridor Manchester, his determination and experience will help us continue to deliver our strategic vision.”

Professor John Brooks has played a crucial role in the capital investment programme for MMU which sees a new Business School currently being built at All Saints opening in 2012, a new Arts school which will also open in 2012, and the development of £120million Community Campus at Birley Fields which aims to be the greenest campus in Britain and will deliver against targets that promote a Three Zero approach to the development Zero Carbon/Zero Water/Zero Waste, making a significant contribution to the City’s Carbon Reduction Strategy.

The Corridor Manchester board is as follows:

• Professor John Brooks – Chair
• Sir Richard Leese, leader, Manchester City Council
• Sir Howard Bernstein, chief executive, Manchester City Council
• Mike Deegan, chief executive, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• David Moutrey, chief executive, Cornerhouse
• Chris Ogelsby, chief executive, Bruntwood
• Jane Davies, chief executive, Manchester Science Park Ltd
• Roger Milburn, director, Ove Arup + Partners
• Steve Mycio, deputy chief executive, Manchester City Council
• David Cain, director of regeneration and appeals, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Professor Rod Coombs, vice president for research, innovation and economic development, The University of Manchester
• Jackie Potter, chief executive, Corridor Manchester