Schools are pass masters

This year 50 per cent of GCSE pupils got five passes at Grade A* to C nationally.

In the Evening Press region, the regional averages were 58.3 per cent with five A* to C passes in North Yorkshire, 11th out of 150 local education authorities; 54.2 per cent in the City of York, 32nd in the list; and 50.1 per cent, 58th in the list, in the East Riding.

Ripon College, meanwhile, was named as one of the top 99 improving schools.

The secondary modern school, which is also a specialist technology college, has seen a 21 per cent rise in its five A* to C rating since 1998.

The Government hailed the results as evidence of excellent progress being made across the country and Education Secretary Estelle Morris said the target of 50 per cent had been met a year early.

But Harrogate MP Phil Willis today accused the Government of "abandoning" the schools which have been labelled as failing by the Department for Education and Skills.

Mr Willis, the Liberal Democrats' Shadow Education Secretary, has carried out a survey of the 241 schools who had less than 20 per cent of pupils gain five GCSE A* to C grades last year.

Mr Willis said the responses showed that the DfES's classification of the schools as failing, based on the GCSE pass rate, was only serving to give them "another hurdle to overcome".

Mr Willis said: "Labelling a school as failing is a barrier to success.

"They are stigmatised amongst their community and their head teachers say they find it harder to fill places. Measuring these schools simply on GCSE results creates almost impossible targets.

"These so-called failing schools are already struggling in deprived areas where three times more pupils are eligible for free school meals than the national average.

"They have a high turnover of staff and are coping with twice as many children with Statements of Special Educational Needs."

Updated: 10:26 Thursday, November 22, 2001