LIVERPOOL pupils today beat the national average at GCSE for the first time.
Figures revealed 66.1% of city students managed to get five A* to C GCSEs, eclipsing most of their national counterparts for the first time.
Nationally, only 65.3% of pupils managed to hit the benchmark, according to official government figures.
The results mark a massive turnaround from 2000, when Liverpools five A*-C pass rate stood at just 36%.
But when including maths and English, the city is still short of the 47.6% national average, despite a 4% rise to 41.2%.
Council leader Warren Bradley said: It is thanks to the massive investment and hard work of our childrens services department and schools that we have beaten the national average.
The English and maths benchmark is something all inner cities are struggling with, but we are determined to get there.
Schools trouncing the national average included Bellerive Catholic college, in Sefton Park, which saw 80% of students reach the target and match the national figure when including English and maths.
Headteacher Sister Brigid Halligan said: We are very pleased, but there is work to be done.
Broadgreen international school also saw its results go up from 41 to 43% at five A* to C, with student Danielle Ward, 17, getting 10 As and an A*.
The Knotty Ash teenager, who is now taking the International Baccalaureate, a broader version of the A-level, slammed the critics who say exams are getting easier.
She said: The exams are hard and I would like to see the critics try and do them.
The Academy of St Francis of Assisi in Fairfield, which is one of the governments flagship super-schools, saw only 15% of students achieve five good grades, including maths and English.
It meant the academy fell 15% short of the governments 30% expectation.
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... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Academy of St Francis of Assisi | Liverpool | 16 | 15 | 43 | 57 |
| Alsop High School Technology & Applied Learning Specialist College | Liverpool | 30 | 29 | 56 | 59 |
| Archbishop Beck Catholic Sports College | Liverpool | 37 | 33 | 57 | 61 |
| Archbishop Blanch CofE VA High School, A Technology College and Training School | Liverpool | 71 | 67 | 81 | 76 |
| Auckland College | Liverpool | 24 | 43 | 43 | 57 |
| Bellerive FCJ Catholic College | Liverpool | 53 | 47 | 82 | 80 |
| Belvedere Academy | Liverpool | ` | 91 | ` | 91 |
| The Blue Coat School | Liverpool | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Broadgreen International School, A Technology College | Liverpool | 25 | 22 | 41 | 42 |
| Broughton Hall High School, A Technology College | Liverpool | 45 | 54 | 65 | 79 |
| Calderstones School | Liverpool | 42 | 44 | 54 | 54 |
| Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School | Liverpool | 47 | 41 | 72 | 85 |
| Childwall School - A Specialist Sports College | Liverpool | 18 | 31 | 51 | 59 |
| Christian Fellowship School | Liverpool | 58 | 60 | 67 | 75 |
| Croxteth Community Comprehensive School | Liverpool | 7 | 21 | 44 | 34 |
| De La Salle Humanities College | Liverpool | 36 | 45 | 63 | 63 |
| Fazakerley High School | Liverpool | 18 | 34 | 47 | 78 |
| Gateacre Community Comprehensive School | Liverpool | 37 | 31 | 61 | 53 |
| Holly Lodge Girls' College | Liverpool | 30 | 33 | 64 | 65 |
| King David High School | Liverpool | 82 | 87 | 88 | 91 |
| Liverpool College | Liverpool | 87 | 0 | 92 | 86 |
| New Heys Comprehensive School | Liverpool | 24 | 25 | 38 | 52 |
| North Liverpool Academy | Liverpool | 26 | 36 | 37 | 76 |
| Notre Dame Catholic College | Liverpool | 29 | 32 | 67 | 76 |
| Parklands High School | Liverpool | 1 | 15 | 29 | 38 |
| Riverside Study Centre | Liverpool | < | < | < | < |
| St Benedict's College | Liverpool | 22 | 11 | 71 | 51 |
| St Edward's College | Liverpool | 92 | 89 | 93 | 93 |
| St Francis Xavier's College | Liverpool | 47 | 53 | 62 | 72 |
| St Hilda's Church of England High School | Liverpool | 66 | 69 | 80 | 80 |
| St John Bosco Arts College | Croxteth | 30 | 44 | 55 | 68 |
| St Julie's Catholic High School | Liverpool | 47 | 43 | 73 | 77 |
| St Margaret's Church of England High School | Liverpool | 67 | 67 | 79 | 83 |
| Shorefields School | Liverpool | 13 | 20 | 29 | 46 |
| West Derby School | Liverpool | 34 | 42 | 58 | 77 |