Thursday - school league tables released, local reaction

Bexhill High School continued its trend of steady improvement with a value added score (a measure of student progress between Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 4) of 999.9.

The mark represented a slight increase on last year.

62 per cent of pupils gained at least five GCSEs with A* to C grades, a small downturn on last year's 70 per cent. However 97 per cent of pupils leave achieving at least one qualification.

The average points total per pupil is 335.2 compared to the local authority average of 356.3.

St Richard's Catholic College remains one of the top performing schools in the county, as shown by a value added mark of 1028.9. Pupils achieving five or more A* to C grades at GCSE was up by a percent on last year at 83 per cent.

The average point score was 448.

High school head Mike Conn said: "I have always had the same view of league tables - they are a view but you can't use them as a snapshot. The trend for Bexhill High has been on the up all the time. If you take out last year's where we had a massive leap it is going gradually up. You have peaks and troughs.

"We had a disaster in maths and I was expecting that due to staffing problems. We are working in partnership with others and we have recruited a really good leader in that faculty and more staff.

"The rest of it, though, is good, and I'm really pleased with our children's achievements."

St Richard's principal Tony Campbell said: "We are, I think, in the top five pe rcent nationally based on these statistics according to people in the know, and one of the highest in the county for results including maths and English.

"I'm pleased about the added on value which is the real test of any school because it shows you are progressing pupils of all abilities.

"I thank my staff for their hard work and dedication and also the pupils for their efforts. It is superb."

Sixth form colleges were marked on average points score per examination entry.

Bexhill College scored 203.4, marginally below the local area average of 204.6.