MERSEYSIDE schools were last night toasting record GCSE results – as defiant headteachers warned they would not “be held to ransom” over government changes to league tables.
The stance came as two students who together managed 18 A*s at a prestigious Merseyside school were among pupils officially labelled failures for not choosing history or geography at GCSE.
But the row failed to take the shine of another best ever showing across the region as GCSE passes nationally went up for the 24th consecutive year.
Piloted retrospectively, the government this year introduced the new English baccalaureate measure designed to encourage schools to offer traditional subjects.
Published in official league tables in January it shows the proportion of a school’s pupils who got at least a C in English, maths, science, a language and either geography or history at GCSE – with successful pupils receiving a certificate.
Those suffering at the rule change included Sarah Sheard and Genevieve Mullan. They both managed nine A*s, including in traditionally tough subjects Latin and the sciences, at Crosby’s Merchant Taylors’ Girl School.
Sarah from Formby and Genevieve from Southport are officially classed as failures because they did chose to take history or geography two years ago.
Furious headmistress Louise Robinson said: “We have around 12 students who have taken very traditional subjects but will not make the EBacc. They are being penalised for something they had no control over.”