THE number of 11-plus applications to Lancaster Royal Grammar School fell by a third last year, according to school head Dr Andrew Jarman.

A revised code of admis-sions meant that parents had to choose their preferred' schools before the test results were known.

As a result, many of them were in an impossible, needless and idiotic dilemma', he told the school's annual Speech Day.

However, Mr Jarman (pictured) hopes the situ-ation should not arise again because a U-turn in policy looks imminent.

"Parents will know the results of testing before having to place schools in priority order. We will be returning to a system which makes sense," he said.

"Although there is some inertia on the timing of this change, we will certainly press for it to be applied as soon as possible and preferably for 2007 entry.

"The School will once again, as the regulations of 200 years ago stated, be open to any boy'. Thank goodness!"

Regarding exam results, Mr Jarman said at GCSE, nearly 40 per cent of entries from LRGS achieved the top A* grade and 75 per cent gained a grade A or better. Results in English, maths and science in particular were excellent.

At A-level, more than 40 per cent of subject entries achieved the top A grade and particularly successful departments included business studies, classics, geography, history and maths.

Guest speaker at the event was LRGS old boy and revered microbiologist Prof Hugh Pennington, who is well known for chairing an inquiry for the Government on the 1996 Central Scotland E.coli O157 outbreak.