A handful of Oxfordshire schools have been named in the Good Schools Guide awards in recognition of high achievements at A-Level.

The guide hands out accolades each year to the school with the highest A-Level and BTec point scores in each different subject, broken down by boys' and girls' results.

As well as a number of the city's and county's leading independent schools, four state schools and colleges received awards for their achievements in their 2007 results.

Among them was Cheney School, in Cheney Lane, Headington, Oxford, which received an award for the results girls at the school achieved in Applied A-Level science.

Head of science Duncan Nicholls said: "One of the things we are pleased with is just the level of uptake of science A-Levels because we are really flying against the national trend.

"We are attracting good calibre girls who enjoy sciences — some of them are looking at studying science at Oxbridge.

"There is an incredible level of enthusiasm and expertise from my colleagues and we have got some very talented teachers.

"Our lessons are characterised by people having some fun and enjoying what they are doing."

He said the Government initiative, How Science Works, attracted more girls because it focused on the human aspects of science.

He added: "We are not slavishly writing up experiments, we are trying to experience how wonderful science is."

Selina Mahar, 17, from East Oxford, is studying A-Level chemistry.

She said: "It is a real challenge, but I think it is really interesting."

And Milly Barker-Phelps, 17, also from East Oxford, who is studying physics and chemistry, said: "The teachers are really good and it is really interesting to learn about the world and how things are made, and how you do things."

Kate Wolstenholme, 17, added: "There is no extra pressure for girls to do science or extra encouragement, but I think people realise there is a good opportunity to do it here and many of the science teachers are female which may help."

The Cherwell School, in Marston Ferry Road, Oxford, received an award for the highest points score in an English comprehensive for boys taking physics.

Other state schools receiving awards included Abingdon and Witney College for its boys' design BTec results and Faringdon College for girls taking A-Level general studies.

The awards aim to highlight excellent teaching in individual subjects.