I would like to emphasis the problem highlighted by Rev Pauline Newton (Malvern Gazette & Ledbury Reporter, November 24).

The way the statistics are calculated regularly, seriously distorts the success of the girls at our school, St James's West Malvern, as well as for other schools in this area.

This year, the results at St James's were excellent. All of the girls in the GCSE year gained 100 per cent of their grades between A* and C. Indeed over half of the grades were grade A or above (58 per cent). Using the Government method, looking at those students with five or more grades between A* and C we should be listed as 100 per cent. This achievement reflects the hard work and effort put in by all the girls and staff at St James's. However, the Government official figures do not count the grades of those girls in the examination year, but for girls that are sixteen during the year. This can result in absurd situations such as last year, when one girl's GCSE grades were counted in the statistics in the same year she took her A'levels - in other words two years late.

This kind of inconsistency does not recognise the achievements of some students at all and has resulted in our published result being just 83 per cent. This is not just a problem this year but has each year resulted in the achievements at GCSE being regularly undervalued by up to 20 per cent. There is a similar problem with A'level statistics.

M Alexander, Examination Secretary, St James's School, West Malvern.

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