SCHOOLS across Wirral are celebrating beating the national average once again.

The number of pupils gaining five A*-CS at GCSE, including maths and English, has risen by over 3% to 53.8%.

Schools recorded an even better improvement in the number of students gaining five A*-C grades from 65.8% last year to 73.3% this year – above the national average of 70%.

But the authority failed to beat its Liverpool counterpart, whose students getting five good GCSEs rose to 73.6%, pushing 0.3% ahead of Wirral.

Overall, the majority of schools showed improving results, but five schools dropped the percentage of students achieving five good grades from between 1%-5%.

All of the students at Birkenhead School, Oxton, and Wirral Grammar School for Girls, Bebington, got five A*-C grades, including English and maths.

John Clark, headteacher at Birkenhead School, which improved by 5% on last year’s 95% figure, said: “‘We are, of course, delighted that our figures rose to 100% this year.

“However, I am equally delighted that this is a year group which has been enormously involved in the school’s extra-curricular programme, achieving very high standards in sport and music in particular. Maybe that’s part of the secret – not focusing just on academic performance.

“It’s worth saying, too, that we are not always as selective at 11 as the maintained grammar schools, and I am sure the key to our success there is small class sizes and a strong culture of working with pupils to improve attainment and build self-confidence.”

Elaine Cogan, headteacher at Wirral Grammar School for Girls, Bebington, said: “We got the 100% by really working with every child and making sure they were fully prepared for their exams, and by giving them a confidence boost and making them go for their own success.”

For a full Wirral league table - click here