A determined disabled student has had to endure marathon ten hour sessions in the exam room to achieve his A-level success.

Paul Kronbachs is one of several pupils from Bradford whose outstanding achievements raised them above the norm in yesterday's A-level results.

While Paul, a 19-year-old Beckfoot Grammar School pupil, needed enormous stamina just to overcome his disability and sit his three A-levels, never mind passing them with respectable grades.

Paul suffers from cerebral palsy which affects all his limbs and means he cannot write. To take exams he has to dictate to a support assistant - difficult itself as Paul's condition also affects his speech.

The exam board allowed him double the time to complete his papers. But this turned what were already demanding three-hour papers into a massive test of mental and physical endurance.

One exam began at 9am and with the regular breaks he did not finish working until 7.10pm.

Beckfoot examinations officer, Colin Jones said: "He was exhausted and frustrated. Not because he couldn't do the papers but because he had no physical energy left."

Paul, who achieved a C and two Ds, said: "I felt I could have done better. But I did feel that the double time added to the stress because I couldn't concentrate for that amount of time.

"On the whole I have done well though because I was in special education until I was 12. Beckfoot gave me all the support I wanted."

He has an offer to study economics in Coventry but will take a year out beforehand to brush up on his computer skills.

Bingley Grammar School student, Andrew Hollos, not only gained five grade A passes but managed to bridge the traditional divide between arts and science.

Having decided to take maths, further maths, physics and general studies he initially thought that a more sensible fifth A-level would be design and technology. But the 18-year-old decided to follow his passion and take art, a decision he is pleased he made.

"Art was always my favourite subject and it provided a bit of a relief from all the sciences," he said.

He will now study maths at Durham University but hopes to continue art in his spare time.

Head teacher John Patterson said: "It's unusual for one of our best mathematicians to also be one of our best artists but Andrew insisted on maintaining his interest in art in the sixth form and has certainly justified his determination.''

There also notable successes at Bradford Girls Grammar School where Rona Vasant, Anne Wonter-Smith and Liana Romaniuk all achieved five A-grades.

Headteacher Lynda Warrington could also celebrate that 46 per cent of all A-level results at the school were A grades. She said she was not surprised that national statistics showed that girls had now overtaken boys at A-level.

She said they worked harder and deserved their success. Bingley Grammar School followed the national picture with girls doing slightly better. But it was tempered by the fact that six of the top 11 performers were male.

Queensbury School actually bucked the trend with boys slightly out performing the girls.