A retired teacher who claims gifted youngsters 'get a lousy deal' is to run a series of evening classes for up to eight of Wisbech's brightest and best.

Mike Stallard said: 'The basic aim is to educate in the sense of leading people out of ignorance.

'Education leads to enlightenment; not to some grubby examination. Having said that, it will certainly help at university.'

Mr Stallard has been teaching English to the immigrant population in Wisbech for eight years but his new course is open to all.

He is insistent that the 10-seminar course at the Rosmini Centre in Wisbech for both the immigrant and native population will not be examination based.

'At the Rosmini Centre we spend a lot of time with vulnerable and disadvantaged people but gifted and talented youngsters get a lousy deal' he said. 'This course is for people under 20 who want to exploit their considerable talents.'

The seminars will teach pupils how to write a good piece of English, how to make a speech, present an argument, and how to approach a moral question.

'There will be a lot of guided computer research and some informal discussion,' he said.

Mr Stallard created the course two years ago and it has had 100,000 hits since being available on the Times Educational website.

Anyone interested in taking part should contact Mr Stallard by the end of October, on stallardmike59@gmail.com

His course comes as Thomas Clarkson Academy achieved some of its best A level results but still below many Cambridgeshire school.

Thomas Clarkson students achieved 55 per cent A*-C pass rate and a 98 per cent pass rate at A*-E.

This represents a six per cent improvement on the 49 per cent who achieved A*-C grades last year, and a four per cent rise on the 94 per cent overall pass rate.

Principal Clare Claxton said: 'The results have improved, they are the best Thomas Clarkson has ever had.'