THIS year's secondary school league tables make positive reading for Worcestershire's pupils, parents and teachers.

GCSE results are above the national average and Worcester's troubled Elgar Technology College has seen a massive increase in its exam results.

Our congratulations go to all those who teach and learn in our classrooms.

The argument over the pros and cons of publishing league tables continues - and we have serious concerns that the tables do more damage than good.

There is a divisive element in all such tables.

Although the value-added element of the tables takes into account progress made by schools and pupils, in general the idea of ranking schools via raw data is far too simplistic.

The educational ethos, the area it serves, the demographics of its pupil intake all play a huge part in the make-up of a school.

But the school league tables say nothing about these and hundreds of other elements.

We find it strange that England continues to plough a lone furrow on the issue of school league tables.

They are not published in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

Does the education of children in the Celtic nations suffer as a result? We doubt it.

Judging schools on league tables alone - which is what is encouraged by their publication - is unfair.

We wonder whether it is time for England to fall into line with the rest of the UK on this issue.

  • Click here to see the 2007 GCSE and A-level school performance tables for Worcestershire.