STAFF and pupils at schools across the region are celebrating their success in the national school performance tables.

The tables, published by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES), show the performance of GCSE and A-level students throughout the country over the last year.

Francis Loftus, head of Barlby High School, near Selby, said: "We're very pleased with what the pupils have achieved and that we beat our target.

"The value added measure of 993 at least enables parents to see that the school did what it was supposed to do."

Three York secondary schools came in the top 200 state schools at A-level - Fulford School came in at 142, Huntington School 149 and All Saints' School 196.

In North Yorkshire, Ripon Grammar School ranked 37, and in the East Riding Howden School and Technology College came in at 123.

Geoff Jenkinson, head of Ryedale School, at Nawton near Kirkbymoorside, said: "I'm feeling proud of the achievements of all the young people and teachers and parents who have supported them in the process.

"Their achievements this year are very much in line with their achievements over time; consistently excellent, which makes me particularly proud."

Huntington School was also the top state school in Yorkshire for its "value added" scores - ranking 60 out of the top 200.

The value added element of the results shows the progress youngsters have made in maths, English and science between leaving primary school and taking their GCSEs.

Last year, Huntington School was named as one of only 67 out of the 1,360 specialist schools in the country to have qualified for three clubs set up by the Specialist Schools Trust.

The school is now in the trust's prestigious 70% Club, their Most Improved Schools Club, and their Value Added School Club, for its outstanding exam results.

Membership of the 70% Club is for specialist schools which achieved 70 per cent or more 5+ A*-C GCSE results between 2001 and 2004.

The Most Improved Schools Club is open to specialist schools which have improved by ten percentage points or more than five A* to C GCSE results from 2001 to 2004.

Head teacher Chris Bridge said: "I am very pleased we worked very hard with that particular year group and we now feel we are constantly making sure more pupils have more life choices open to them when they leave us.

"This is consistent and I'm very proud of all the work students, parents and teachers put in - we work hard at this school to create an ethos which makes students actually want to do well."

Fulford head teacher Steve Smith said: "We are very pleased with the results - when they came through in August we knew they were excellent and this confirms that. A lot of hard work has gone in to this not just from the students but the staff as well."

Of York's independent schools Bootham School ranked 25th - down from sixth last year - out of all the schools in the country for its A-level results, with the 56 students who took their exams clocking up an average 462.7 of the UCAS points needed to get in to university.

The general picture in York was welcomed by the City of York Council. The figures for GCSEs showed 60.6 per cent of children in York's secondary schools leave with five or more A* to C grade GCSEs, placing them 29th out of the 150 authorities in the country.

A North Yorkshire County Council spokesman said: "Schools in North Yorkshire have again achieved very good results in the GCSE and equivalent examinations for 16-year-olds at the end of Key Stage 4.

"Overall North Yorkshire's results have improved by two per cent, with 62.7 per cent of youngsters gaining 5 or more GCSEs at grades A* to C in Summer 2005.

"Nationally results for LA maintained schools have improved by 2.7 per cent to 54.7 per cent.

"This year, for the first time, the performance tables include figures for five or more grades at A* to C including English and mathematics. Using this measure North Yorkshire's results show 51.7 per cent of youngsters achieve five or more GCSE grades at A*-C compared with 44.3 per cent nationally."

The tables also include a measure of the progress pupils make from key stage 2 to 4. For North Yorkshire the figure is 993.7, which is well above the national figure of 987.3.

Councillor John Watson, the county council's executive member for schools, said: "I'm delighted at the continued excellent performance of schools across North Yorkshire. These tables continue to show what a high-performing local education authority like ours is able to achieve.

"My congratulations must go to everyone connected with education in North Yorkshire - the LEA, teachers, governors and parents - but most of all the students."

Updated: 10:21 Thursday, January 19, 2006