KNOWSLEY has climbed off the foot of the GCSE league tables by a single place.
The borough was ranked the worst in the country last year for the number of GCSE students getting at least five A* to C grades including English and maths.
But after recording a 10th consecutive year of improvement, Knowsley marginally moved up the tables, with Kingston-upon-Hull taking its place as the countrys worst.
It remains rock bottom of the A-level tables.
The number of pupils getting five good GCSEs including maths and English is now in line with the governments 30% benchmark after a 3% rise from last year.
Students getting five A* to Cs generally also went up by 6% to 57%. Education chiefs pledged the s150m scheme to replace 11 ageing high schools with seven new learning centres by 2010 will drive up standards further.
Damian Allen, director of childrens services, said: Driving up attainment levels is a major focus for Knowsley and this years grades are proof the initiatives in place are really working.
Programmes such as Firm Foundations helped contribute to this years successful results, achievements which the new learning centres, with their innovative approach to learning, will continue to drive forward.
Firm Foundations offers tailor-made help for individual pupils, ranging from mental toughness coaching to weekend revision programmes.
Triumphant schools this year included St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic high, in Prescot, which found itself on the list of 200 most improving UK schools.
It saw seeing 52% of its students get five good GCSEs including maths and English - 13% better than 2007.
Cllr Graham Wright, cabinet member for childrens services, said:I am very proud for the 10th year running Knowsley pupils have excelled in their GCSE results.
Success is down to a great deal of hard work from these students, often overcoming significant barriers to learning.
Key: a = % of school's pupils who achieved % GCSEs at A* to C including Maths and English in 2007; b = % of school's pupils who achieved % GCSEs at A* to C including Maths and English in 2008, c = % of school's pupils who achieved % GCSEs at A* to C in any subjects 2007; d = % of school's pupils who achieved % GCSEs at A* to C in any subject in 2008
| School | Address | A... | B... | C... | D... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Saints Catholic High School | Liverpool | 25 | 27 | 58 | 55 |
| Bowring Community Sports College | Liverpool | 30 | 28 | 54 | 61 |
| Brookfield High School | Liverpool | 25 | 25 | 69 | 72 |
| Halewood College | Knowsley | 35 | 42 | 51 | 62 |
| Higher Side Community Comprehensive School | Prescot | 32 | 19 | 59 | 70 |
| Kirkby Sports College | Liverpool | ||||
| Knowsley Hey Arts College | Liverpool | 26 | 32 | 48 | 59 |
| Prescot School | Prescot | 35 | 42 | 51 | 55 |
| Ruffwood School | Liverpool | 11 | 17 | 28 | 47 |
| St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School, A Specialist Technology College | Prescot | 39 | 51 | 66 | 68 |
| St Edmund of Canterbury Catholic High School | Liverpool | 18 | 20 | 46 | 47 |