Loreto Grammar School headteacher Jane Beever says the secret of the top Altrincham Catholic school’s stunning academic success is intellectual exploration.

With a record 31% of all grades at A*, Mrs Beever said: “We are proud of our girls’ stunning academic achievements but Loreto is not an exam factory. We want our girls to develop in all areas of their lives not just in the classroom.. We are more than a school; Loreto is a community.”

Pictured from left to right on the back row are: Daisy McDonnell, 16, from Sale who got four A*s, six As and one B; Sinead Wrigley, 16, from Timperley who got seven A*s, two As, one B and an A hat in Further Maths; Sinead Gibbons, 16, from Urmston, who got seven A*s, two As, one B and an A hat in Further Maths; Olivia Pennington, 16, from Urmston who got six A*s and five As and wants to read Medicine; Georgia Brooks, 16, from Wilmslow, who got six A*s, three As, one B and an A hat in Further Maths and wants to apply to Oxford to read PPE; accomplished pianist Charlotte Haren, 16, from Timperley who got four A*s, six As and one B; Emma Cosgriff, 16, from Timperley, who got seven A*s and four As; Josie Woolham, 16, from Timperley and got nine A*s and an A; National Citizens Service volunteer and Duke of Edinburgh medallist Hannah Power, 16, from Timperley who got eight A*s and three As; Lucy O’Donnell, 16, from Timperley, who got seven A*s and three As and wants to be a dentist; Sarah Bailey, 16, from Timperley, who got 10A*s and an A; Fiona Bailey, from Timperley, who got five A*s and three As; Yasmin Tunnah, 16, from Urmston, who got eight A*s and two As and wants to read Medicine; Orla Godfrey, 16, from Altrincham, who got nine A*s and two As; Catherine Woolham, 16, from Timperley who got three A*s, three As and three Bs; Eve Graham, 16, from Hale who got a clean sweep of 10 A*s and an A hat in Further Maths; Lucy Payne, 16, from Stockport, who got six A*s and five As; debating champion Catriona Walsh, 16, from Cheadle who got eight A*s and three As; Zion Ilyas, 16, from Manchester, who got six A*s and five As and wants to study Medicine and Charlotte Law, 16, from Sale,who got four A*s, six As and one B.

On the front row are from left to right: Amy Wilkinson, 16 from Urmston, who got 10 A*s and one A; Saoirse Hepburn, 16, from Altrincham who got 8 A*s and three As and would like to be a food journalist and set up a bakery; Emilia Russell, 16, from Knutsford, who seven A*s and four As and wanst to study maths or engineering; Neha Morrison, 16, from Warrington, who got nine A*s and two As; Hollie Ross-Kenny, 16 from Stretford, who got 10 A*s and nine A; Hannah O’Donnell, 16, from Timperley, who got four A*s and six As and wants be a dentist; Fiona Davidson, 16, from Sale, who got seven A*s and four As; Caoimhe McGonnell, 16, from Sale, who got four A*s and Six As and wants to read Medicine. Madeleine Taylor, 16, from Altrincham who got nine A*s and two As and wants to be a doctor and Irish champion flautist Orla Felcey, 16, from Manchester, who got six A*s and five As.