THE Mount School in York recorded the best A-level results in the region for a fee-paying school, a study found.

Research by the Independent Schools Council (ISC) showed that the girl school's A-level pupils scored an average of 361 Ucas points - the highest score at any independent school in the North-East and North Yorkshire.

Mount School principal Julie Lodrick said she was delighted for the school's students.

"They have all worked hard and we wish them every success in their future studies.”

Nationally, the pass rate for top grades achieved by A-level entrants from fee-paying schools fell this year

The number of A-level entries from private school pupils awarded at least an A grade dropped to 49.4 per cent, down 1.1 percentage points on last year.

This was still almost double the national average of 25.9 per cent.

A fifth of entries were awarded the top grade of A*, according to the ISC.

One in 14 candidates got three A* grades - an outcome described by ISC chairman Barnaby Lenon as "remarkable".

Fee-paying school in the North-East and North Yorkshire ranked by their A-level UCAS score: The Mount School (York) - 361; Queen Margaret's School (York) - 357; Durham High School for Girls - 355; Royal Grammar School Newcastle-upon-Tyne - 347; Teesside High School - 347; St Peter's School - 347; Ampleforth College - 331; Bootham School - 327; Yarm School - 325; Newcastle High School for Girls GDST - 318; Dame Allan's Senior Schools - 301; Durham School - 296; Queen Ethelburga's College - 282; Ashville College - 278; Harrogate Ladies' College - 271; Westfield School - 243; Sunderland High School - 240; Longridge Towers School - 203; The Faculty of Queen Ethelburga's - 178.