Schools celebrate league table success (From Warrington Guardian)

Schools celebrate league table success

WINSFORD'S two high schools are celebrating significant improvements in the GCSE tables released last week.

The Verdin High School and Woodford Lodge High School have both recorded percentage rises in the number of pupils achieving five or more GCSE results at grades A* to C.

Verdin improved by five per cent to 47 per cent while Woodford Lodge managed an impressive seven per cent improvement to reach 34 per cent.

Verdin headteacher Neil Dyment said: "We've had a great year and we are pleased with the work of the students.

"Also, we obtained specialist technology status last year and we are looking for continued improvement here.

"The way the results have gone we are improving at an even faster rate than the national and Cheshire averages for pupils achieving five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C. We are up from 35 per cent in 2000 to 47 per cent this year.

"The staff work very hard and I am very appreciative of the work that's done. It really is a combined effort of pupils, staff and parents."

Although Woodford Lodge's headteacher Stephen Meeks praised the achievements of everybody involved at the school, he questioned just how relevant the tables were.

He said: "We are very pleased - they are the best results the school has had yet. But we don't think the school should be judged just by these tables.

"There are many exciting developments going on at the school. Education is not just about exam results. It's about preparing the person as a whole for life."

rfraser@guardiangrp.co.uk

For full details of how the borough's schools did see page 10