TWO Merseyside schools are among the top performing and improving schools across the country.

Wirral’s St John Plessington Catholic College and West Derby School are among 13 schools nationally to have shown continual improvement from 2005-2008.

Both schools received a letter from Schools Minister Jim Knight, congratulating them on their success.

A copy of the letter will also be sent to the relevant MPs.

Headteacher at St John Plessington, Tom Quinn, said: “To be recognised by the government as being among the most effective schools in the country is a great honour and I am pleased to be able to pay tribute to the staff, parents and pupils at the college.

“It’s all down to brilliant teamwork and lots of effort.”

The government figures published last Thursday showed how two years ago the school recorded 51% of its pupils securing five good GCSEs.

That figure has now risen to 84% and places the college in the top 2% of schools nationally for its value-added score, the measure Government uses to describe the progress pupils make.