Hereford schools top local league tables

Herefordshire's GCSE and equivalent exam results are the best in the West Midlands according to league tables published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families this week.

This year's results indicate that 69.4 percent of pupils achieved five or more grade A*-C GCSEs, a rise of 7.4 percent on 2007 and 3.7 percent above the national average. Those achieving five or more grade A*-Cs including English and mathematic has risen by nearly two percent to 52.5 percent.

Overall, boys' performance in Herefordshire has gone up by 7.1 percent against girls' increase in pass rate of six percent, and boys have closed the gender gap by one percent at five or more A*-C grades. The average point score per pupil at the end of key stage four is 403.5, the highest in the region. Results remain provisional but should be subject to only minor changes.

"This year's GCSE results in Herefordshire schools are the best ever, and show significant improvement on last year's previous high point," said Sharon Menghini, director for children's services. She continued, "Results have now improved year on year for the last three years.

"Our schools and all those who support them have worked incredibly hard to achieve these results, particularly as we are one of the poorest funded authorities in the country. I am delighted to learn that our results are the best in the West Midlands. This means we are serving our young people well so that they can make choices about their future learning and careers.

"I congratulate all our schools and their pupils for once again, showing that children living in Herefordshire can get a good start in life by enjoying a high quality education."