Seventy-six boys and girls at The King's School in Tynemouth achieved 64 per cent of A-B grades, and 85 per cent A-C grades at an average of 3.1 passes per pupil.

The private school has also produced more Oxbridge entrants than the rest of the borough combined.

Aiden Brierley, of Cramlington, achieved four A grades and will be reading chemistry at Keeble College, Oxford.

Leoni James, from Benton, achieved four A grades and will read law at Clare College, Cambridge, while Simon Wallace, from Washington, will be reading medicine at Queen's College, Cambridge, after earning four A grades.

King's headmaster Philip Cantwell said: "I am thrilled for the students who have achieved these outstanding results and for all our students who have reached their personal targets.

"More importantly, almost all of our students have now confirmed their places at universities across the country, including the added accolade of places at Oxford and Cambridge."

Criticising some state school students for taking so-called 'soft' subjects, Mr Cantwell said: "I'm particularly pleased that these results have come in traditional subjects, such as the sciences, languages, maths, English and the arts, which are so valued by the best
universities.

"King's is committed to offering the strongest qualifications available rather than so-called 'soft' subjects."