Pupils celebrate great results (From Gazette Series)

Pupils celebrate great results

GLOUCESTERSHIRE schools are in the top ten percent in the country after the release of the annual GCSE achievement and attainment tables.

The tables, released yesterday, reveal that last year 62.8 percent of pupils in the county achieved at least five GCSEs between grades A* to C. This figure is higher than the average in England which stood at 57.1 percent.

County councillor Joan Nash, cabinet member for schools, said she was pleased with this year's tables.

She said: "Yet again, our students have gained excellent results and they represent the hard work over five years by pupils, teachers and parents.

"Not only has Gloucestershire maintained its position in the top 10 percent of authorities, we have improved on our results from last year and are considerably above the national results."

However, schools and students in the Gazette area achieved higher percentages. Eight percent of pupils at Katharine Lady Berkeley's School in Wotton-under-Edge achieved five GCSEs between grades A* to C and Rednock School in Dursley achieved 67 percent.

Andrew Harris, headteacher at KLB, said: "We are delighted the results last summer were as good as they were. They reflect the hard work of our pupils and students and the commitment of the teaching staff towards learning."

As well as showing how many students are achieving the different grades available, the tables also provide a value added measure for each school.

This is based on the progress pupils make between the different Key Stages and shows how their school is affecting students' achievements. The base line from which to measure value added scores is 1,000.

Again schools in the Gazette area excelled the county average of 999.5. Katharine Lady Berkeley's School was awarded a Value Added score of 1016.6, Rednock School was awarded 1008.4 by Vale of Berkeley College achieved 962.8.