PUPILS at The Cotswold School in Bourton are setting the bar very high in academic, artistic and sporting fields.

Highlighting achievements at the school speech day kept headteacher Ann Holland busy.

Academic highlights included a record average points score of 322 for A-level results, up from 311 last year.

Mrs Holland praised the outstanding results of Erin Hawkes, who achieved a near perfect score in art, Alex Green, Alex Bexon, Ross Johnstone, Ben Halfpenny and Simon Cowen. Alex Green, Ross and Simon started studies at Cambridge University this week.

"GCSE results were also very pleasing with 73 per cent of the year group achieving between five and 11 A* to C grades," said Mrs Holland.

Underlying exam results was the recent Ofsted inspection, which gave the school an outstanding rating and grading of one - awarded to just 10 per cent of the most successful schools nationally.

"Inspectors highlighted the commitment of the leadership team, the whole staff and the governing body to continued improvement, the appreciation and support shown by parents, the `exemplary' attitudes and behaviour of pupils, and the outstanding curriculum," said Mrs Holland.

Erin Hawkes not only shone in art, she and Tiffany McDonald organised a charity fashion show which raised £1,500 for Gloucestershire Association for the Blind.

Other school fundraising included £800 for Lepra and £200 for Oxfam from year seven, and £345 for the deaf/blind charity Sense.

On the sporting front, Sally and Peter Bramley qualified for the British Schools' modern biathlon, Kate and Laura Stratford excelled in national badminton competitions and Tom Davies played several matches for the Gloucester County U18 squad.

County long jump champion Francesca Keeble was awarded the Bourton Chamber of Commerce Village Sports Personality award for 2005.

Cotswold School Prize-winners

Headteachers' Prizes: Tom Greenhaill, Erin Hawkes, Jody Townsend, Sophie Alidina, William Hanks, Ryan Keeble.

Art & Design: Rachel Potts; Biology: Caroline Day; Business studies: Alexander Green; Chemistry: Ross Johnstone; Design and technology: Patrick Miller; Drama: Chanel Smith; English: Ryan Keeble; French: Alexander Bexon; Further maths: Simon Cowen; Geography: Alexander Bexon; GNVQ business studies: Joel Downes; History: Benjamin Halfpenny; History of art: Kelly Maxwell; IT: Thomas Greenhill; Japanese: Ryan Keeble, Kiri Davies; Maths: Alexander Green; Music: Sophie Boyd; PE: David Gainford, Emma Krisson; A-level PE: Charlotte Miller; Physics: Simon Cowan; Psychology: Natalie Couchman; RE: Charlotte Miller; Spanish: Erin Hawkes; Sports leadership: Max Goodman; Statistics: Gemma Stevenson; Textiles: Erin Hawkes; Raymond Aberstone Prize for artistic achievement: Robert Juggins; Pennant Greaves Prize for English: Natalie Couchman; Mark Grave Cup and Anne Aberstone Prize for Music: Emily Aldridge; Gaynor Didcote Prize for academic excellence: Erin Hawkes; Award for achievement in extended award examination: Alexander Bexon.