PERSHORE High School students achieved a higher than average number of A*-C grades according to the latest figures.

Sixty-two per cent of pupils attained the higher grades, five per cent more than the national average with 96 per cent gaining five or more grades A-G.

Head Clive Corbett welcomed the publication of the league tables.

"For the fourth year in a row the youngsters have achieved better than 60 per cent," he said.

"We are particularly pleased by the value-added marks which shows the influence we have had on them during their time here.

"We are happy with the results but we will not be sitting back. We will continue to strive for more improvement."

There was also good news for Prince Henry's High School, Evesham and St Benedict's Catholic High School, Alcester, both of whom had 76 per cent grades A*-C.

Prince Henry's head Bernard Roberts said he was more satisfied with the 99 per cent of students who achieved grades A* to G.

"A lot of emphasis is put on the A* to C grades but we are very happy with the figures for A* to G grades," he said. "Those figures are well above a number of schools and shows in a good comprehensive school that we are achieving across the board.

"We are happy with the figures, we do get results above the national average and should do because of the students we get here.

"We are confident this year's students will be performing to their potential and the indicators are that they will be."

Evesham High School students fell below the average with 54 per cent achieving A*-C grades but head David Kelly said pass rates were less important than the added value figures also released by the government.

"Raw data tables don't tell you anything about actual progress," he said. "There's no meaningful comment to make about comparisons with other schools. Raw pass rates don't tell you anything about what pupils are achieving relative to other schools.

"A raw figure without the background context doesn't tell you anything at all.

"If a school takes in a large number of pupils from good backgrounds, with supportive parents and children above the national average and they go on to achieve good grades, all well and good. But it doesn't tell you whether the school is doing a very good or a mediocre job.

"The pass rates are no more than a starting point for finding out more about a school and the only way you can do that is by visiting a school and seeing the human side of it.

"The other irony is that if you live in Evesham and see a school in Kidderminster topping the tables, so what?"

Mr Kelly pointed out the school's value added score, an attempt to evaluate how much pupils have developed, was above the county average for pupils at Key Stages 2-4. He said although figures for Key Stages 3-4 were below the county average, that was in line with around half the county's high schools and indicated a problem with the new system.