Herefordshire's GCSE results continue to improve

Herefordshire’s GCSE results continue to improve 2007 was another successful year for the majority of pupils in Herefordshire schools. In league tables published by the department for children, schools and families, sixty three percent of Herefordshire students in mainstream schools achieved five GCSE s at grade C or above. These results are, as in previous years, above the national average. In the new measure of five GCSEs including English and maths at grade C or above, Herefordshire students achieved 51 percent, up from 48 percent in 2006 and one of the best improvements in the whole of England. Across the county the performance of boys showed a sharp improvement, particularly in English where Herefordshire’s boys’ results are much closer to that of girls than most other counties in England. Wyebridge Sports College has shown particularly good improvement with an 18 percent increase in the number of students achieving five GCSEs at grade C or above to 51 percent. The John Masefield High School in Ledbury has continued to show an improvement in this measure with a 15 percent increase over the last two years to 66 percent. At Wigmore High School 93 percent of students achieved five GCSEs at grade C or above. Putting them in the Times ‘Top Twenty’ schools alongside Fairfield High School and St Mary’s RC High School. Sharon Menghini, director of children’s services, said: “I’d like to congratulate all of the students on their successes and to thank the teachers and other school staff who have worked hard to help them to achieve these high levels of success. “Proposals to reshape school provision in Herefordshire are producing a great deal of discussion at the moment, but we mustn’t forget that now and in the future our children still need to receive the quality education Herefordshire schools have a reputation for delivering, inspite of poor funding. “While we are sharing views and voicing opinions about the proposals shared with schools last week, we must remember that this is all about providing the best possible education we can for our children so that they can continue to improve their performance at all levels each year.”