TODAY'S annual GCSE performance tables are again cause for celebration for many Merseyside schools and councils, who are toasting record-breaking results.
But the party atmosphere has been tempered by many of the region’s education officials openly questioning the need and merit of publicly highlighting the academic winners and losers.
The figures confirm that Liverpool pupils managing five Cs or above has risen from 81.8 to 84.3%, meaning, for the fourth consecutive year, they are beating the national average, which rose from 75.4% to 79.5%.
Liverpool pupils managing five Cs or above, including English and maths, also rose from 53-55%.
Wirral pupils have gone one better – not only beating the national average in terms of pupils managing five Cs or above which rose from 74.9 to 84.8% but the percentage achieving five Cs or above, including English and maths, has also shot up from 58.7-64.1%.
This is better than the national average, which rose from 53.4-58.9%.
But, while taking heart from the improvements, headteachers and other education officials said the regularly changing league tables were a problematic way of measuring a school’s success.
After Tony Blair’s Labour swept to power in 1997, school performance tables showing the rate of progress pupils had made as well as overall exam results became an annual fixture.
And, in later years, a major benchmark of a school’s success was how many pupils could get minimum standards in English and maths as part of their GCSE performances.
The coalition, though, have carried on the tinkering – controversially deciding last year to retrospectively introduce the new English Baccalaureate measure, which is published for the second time in this week’s tables.
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.
The coalition has added more than 30 new columns into the national data since last year.
John Waszek is principal at St Edward’s College, in Sandfield Park, where 88% of pupils managed five Cs or above including maths and English – maintaining last year’s efforts.
But he said changes to the tables “undermine” their value and added: “You now have politicians saying schools should not manipulate figures by adjusting the curriculum for the league tables, well then what is the purpose of the league tables? Statistics are just that, statistics, and parents in my experience are very discerning. While they rightly want their children to do well, they also want to know they are safe, happy and have lots of friends”.
Jim Donnelly, Merseyside convener for the Association of School and College Leaders, and headteacher at record-breaking Litherland High, said Ofsted, rather than politically-biased league tables, gave “the true overall package” of a school.
“League tables measure the common denominator and not what really matters to parents.”
Cllr Jane Corbett, Liverpool’s cabinet member for education said the “very limited” tables failed to show the funding challenges city schools faced.
But, after confirmation the city had beaten the national average for the fourth time, she said: “Liverpool has turned the tide. Pupils and schools have worked flat out in very difficult circumstances.”
Sefton pupils beat the national average with the percentage managing five Cs or above rising from 83-87.7% and including maths and English rising from 55.8-59.5%.
Successful Sefton schools included Crosby’s Merchant Taylors’ where 93% of boys and 99% of girls managed five Cs or above including maths and English. Knowsley pupils remain below the national average, but continue to improve.
Students achieving five Cs or above in the borough rose from 68.1 to 74.7%. Halton, St Helens, and Cheshire West and Chester also witnessed record results.
Interactive map of GCSE results >>>>>>
