Bursary places for gifted pupils are on offer at what is said to be Cheshire’s top performing sixth form.

The five new bursaries at The Queen’s School sixth form in Chester are being made available to celebrate the school’s 140th anniversary in September.

The anniversary bursaries are described as reflecting the ethos of the school which opened its doors in 1878 to give local girls ‘a thorough education at a reasonable cost’.

Since then the school’s reputation has grown but its values of scholarship, character and community have stayed the same, it argues.

Five new bursaries being made available at The Queens School sixth form in Chester will celebrate the schools 140th anniversary in September

Acting headmistress Joanne Keville explained: “2018 is a significant year for Queen’s. In our anniversary year it is fitting that we celebrate by giving something back to the community which has sustained us and enabled the school to thrive and grow over the past 140 years.

“Life at Queen’s has an unashamedly academic pulse so the successful applicants will need to work hard. In sixth form girls take the Queen’s School Baccalaureate, a bespoke qualification which has been developed to give pupils the best chance of securing a place on their chosen university course.

“It includes A-Levels, an extended project, enrichment activities and online extension courses. Girls also attend our lecture programmes and take part in organised discussion groups based on their subject choices.

“Also we never underestimate how much the girls learn from each other in a community of like-minded hard-working peers.

“The results prove that our approach is working. Last year we achieved the best A-Level results in Cheshire and Wirral and this year a fifth of the year group are holding offers for Oxbridge colleges and highly competitive courses such as medicine, dentistry and veterinary science courses.”

Five new bursaries being made available at The Queens School sixth form in Chester will celebrate the school's 140th anniversary in September

She continued: “We hope this process enables us to offer five pupils, who would not otherwise be able to attend Queen’s, the chance to benefit from what we have to offer here.”

The bursaries are to be awarded based on the results of an examination to be held in the summer term following GCSEs.

Recipients will also need to meet the minimum requirements for entry to Queen’s sixth form – seven GCSEs at grade 6 or above with at least a 7 in chosen subjects – and all offers are subject to a headteacher’s reference.

The school added: “Whilst this is an academic award the school has allocated bursary funding alongside to enable girls to take up a place if their family is unable to pay the fees. This will be subject to independent means-testing but could mean full fee remission.”

Those interested in applying for one of the bursaries should call Queen’s admissions officer Jane Taylor on 01244 312078, email her on admissions@thequeensschool.co.uk or register their interest at www.thequeensschool.co.uk before May 4 for entry into the sixth form for September 2018.