LEAGUE tables published this morning confirmed education in Worcestershire is on the up as secondary schools recorded their best GCSE, A-level and value-added performances.

Though exam results have generally improved across the country, Worcestershire's education authority has moved significantly up the national tables.

Worcestershire is now among the top quarter for its AS and A-level performance, and is 46th out of 157 LEAs - a jump of 17 places on last year - for its GCSE exams.

The "remarkable" results also led to the county's most successful set of value-added scores, where schools are judged on pupil improvement over time rather than just final exam results.

"In the last four years, our standards of achievement have risen greatly and I'm delighted," said Councillor June Longmuir, cabinet member for education.

"Considering the finances that we actually get, the results are quite remarkable."

The national average for gaining five A* to C grades at GCSE was 52 per cent this year, and Worcestershire's schools achieved 54.9 per cent.

"I feel the policies we have put forward in the last three or four years are really proving successful," she said.

"It shows the LEA is very reflective of the needs we have in the county, and the hard work of the authority, schools and students is paying off."

The county's leading performers include Haybridge High School, in Hagley, The Chase Technology College, Malvern and Prince Henry's High School, Evesham.

Worcester MP Mike Foster also praised the efforts of city schools, which have maintained year-on-year improvements.

Since 1997, Blessed Edward Oldcorne Catholic College has seen a rise of 24 percentage points to 70 per cent achieving five or more top GCSE passes, while Christopher Whitehead has seen a 13 per cent increase to 50 per cent.

"Our schools are achieving better results for local pupils - we should be pleased with the improvement and steel ourselves to do even better in future years," said Mr Foster, a Parliamentary aide in the Department for Education and Skills.

"There are still areas that need improving, and schools know the enormity of the task ahead, but teachers I speak to are up to the challenge."

n Turn to P16 and P17 for full tables.

LEAGUE tables published this morning confirmed education in Worcestershire is on the up as secondary schools recorded their best GCSE, A-level and value-added performances.

Though exam results have generally improved across the country, Worcestershire's education authority has moved significantly up the national tables.

Worcestershire is now among the top quarter for its AS and A-level performance, and is 46th out of 157 LEAs - a jump of 17 places on last year - for its GCSE exams.

The "remarkable" results also led to the county's most successful set of value-added scores, where schools are judged on pupil improvement over time rather than just final exam results.

"In the last four years, our standards of achievement have risen greatly and I'm delighted," said Councillor June Longmuir, cabinet member for education.

"Considering the finances that we actually get, the results are quite remarkable."

The national average for gaining five A* to C grades at GCSE was 52 per cent this year, and Worcestershire's schools achieved 54.9 per cent.

"I feel the policies we have put forward in the last three or four years are really proving successful," she said.

"It shows the LEA is very reflective of the needs we have in the county, and the hard work of the authority, schools and students is paying off."

The county's leading performers include Haybridge High School, in Hagley, The Chase Technology College, Malvern and Prince Henry's High School, Evesham.

Worcester MP Mike Foster also praised the efforts of city schools, which have maintained year-on-year improvements.

Since 1997, Blessed Edward Oldcorne Catholic College has seen a rise of 24 percentage points to 70 per cent achieving five or more top GCSE passes, while Christopher Whitehead has seen a 13 per cent increase to 50 per cent.

"Our schools are achieving better results for local pupils - we should be pleased with the improvement and steel ourselves to do even better in future years," said Mr Foster, a Parliamentary aide in the Department for Education and Skills.

"There are still areas that need improving, and schools know the enormity of the task ahead, but teachers I speak to are up to the challenge."