THE headteacher of a school ranked first in its county in the Government league tables, says its success is because girls do better in single-sex education.

Durham High School for Girls, a private school on the outskirts of Durham City, has achieved a 100 per cent pass rate for its A-levels, with 71 per cent of students achieving A/B grades and more than a third of the year group gaining at least three A grades.

At GCSE, 69 per cent achieved A* and A grades.

In the latest league tables, the school was ranked top within the County Durham Local Education Authority.

Headteacher Ann Templeman said she thought the results were partly due to the fact that Durham High School for Girls was a single-sex school, especially as it enabled them to have female role models in traditionally male-dominated subjects.

She said: "We believe girls do better at girls' schools and they are better prepared for life in the 21st Century.

"In girls' schools all the physicists are girls, all the computer specialists are girls and all the leaders are girls."

She said more than half of the sixth form pupils studied science subjects. To cope with the increased demand, the school opened a building with six science laboratories and two ICT suites.

But Mrs Templeman added they valued sport, music, drama and community service just as much as academic success.