THE latest GCSE league tables have been published and show that many local schools are among the top performing in the county. The attainment tables show the performances of both state and private schools, the percentages of pupils who were awarded five or more GCSEs, and the number who got five or more top grades of A* to C. In Surrey, the average school's pupils achieved 91.2 per cent five or more passes and 58.6 per cent top grades - more than the England averages of 88.8 per cent and 53.7 per cent. Wispers School in Haslemere was pleased with its results after 92 per cent of its pupils achieved five or more GCSEs while 72 per cent got five or more top grades. Headteacher Henry Beltran told The Herald that he was "delighted" with his school's results. "Our able candidates did extremely well and all candidates achieved more than one whole grade more than pupils at other schools sitting the same MidYis exams," he said. The news was equally good at King Edward's School in Witley which saw 88 per cent of its pupils obtain five or more GCSEs and 79 per cent achieve five or more top grades. Although pleased with the school's results, senior deputy headteacher and director of studies, Stephen Pugh, spoke out against the tables which he said did not reflect the school's achievements. "The recent publication of the DfES league tables for schools merely again confirms the misinformation that can be produced and made to appear authoritative," he said. "The main concern is that the data for GCSE is age related and does not reflect the full and true position of the cohort of pupils who have been working together as a unit for their GCSE subjects. "Those who are overlooked are either those who are young for their cohort and have been entered early in age terms for their GCSE, or those who are old for their cohort, perhaps because they have come from abroad and have delayed their GCSE for a year because English is not their first language. "The absence of both of these groups of pupils has a distorting impact upon these apparently official league tables. "Indeed, at King Edward's School, Witley, we celebrated with our pupils and their parents far more success than these tables would have given us credit for. "So, King Edward's School Witley, does not participate in league tables unless we are required by law to do so. "Equally, since we have nothing to hide, we are very happy to publish our results in full in a meaningful way to all parents and prospective parents who wish to receive the information." The Royal School was celebrating after 95 per cent of its pupils passed five or more exams while 89 per cent achieved the top grades - the highest in the Haslemere area. Meanwhile at Woolmer Hill Technology College, 96 per cent of pupils passed five or more GCSEs - the highest percentage in the Haslemere area - while 55 per cent got five or more top grades. Both The Royal School and Woolmer Hill were asked for their comments on the table but neither had expressed their views before The Herald went to press.
