More Shropshire pupils gaining top GCSE passes

But three schools in the county fell below the Government's benchmark of 40 per cent of pupils getting at least five GCSEs at grade C or higher, including the key subjects of English and maths.

National figures showed that almost a quarter of a million fewer children were being taught in failing secondary schools compared with three years ago.

But there are still just over 150 schools that are considered to be under-performing, including the three in Shropshire. The worst performer was St Martins School near Oswestry where just 31 per cent of pupils – 16 out of 51 – gained five or more A*-C passes, down from 43 per cent the year before.

The Lord Silkin School in Telford, now known as the Lakeside Academy, had a pass rate of 34 per cent and the Phoenix School in Dawley, which was in the bottom 200 state schools last year, saw its pass rate fall from 38 per cent to 37 per cent.

The Department for Education said 60.4 per cent of pupils in Shropshire got five or more GCSEs at A*-C grades, including English and maths, up from 58.6 per cent in 2012. In Telford & Wrekin the pass rate was 58.6 per cent – down from 61.3 per cent.

• Click here to download a PDF of the full Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin results

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But an anomaly means two schools normally among the top performers, Shrewsbury School and Concord College in Acton Burnell, are at the bottom of this year's table. Concord College appears in the top 200 schools nationwide for all qualifications including A-levels and the International Baccalaureate and principal Neil Hawkins said the anomaly came from its use of the International GCSE.

He said: "A total of 59 of our 61 students gained five or more A*-C grades including English and maths, which is 97 per cent.

"Our English exam is the IGCSE, which is not recognised by the DfE but which we believe has enormous rigour. We believe it best prepares our students for their future academic careers."

There was success for Sir John Talbot's Technology College in Whitchurch, which was last year in the bottom 30 state schools nationwide. It achieved a pass rate of 58 per cent after Shropshire Council officials were brought in to run it. Two schools were also named among the most improved in the country. Sundorne School in Shrewsbury's pass rate improved from 47 per cent in 2010 to 72 per cent last year, making it the 36th most improved. The Grange School, also in Shrewsbury, has seen its pass rate improve from 34 per cent to 46 per cent, bringing it just into the top 200.

A school in Shrewsbury recently rated "outstanding" by Government inspectors has risen up the league table after improving its GCSE pass rate.

Belvidere School saw 66 per cent of its 164 pupils gain five or more GCSEs, including English and maths, at A* to C compared to 62 per cent last year. The result pushed the school from 17th to eighth in the Shropshire table.

But headteacher Peter Johnstone said the school was not just about achieving exam success.

He said: "We were really pleased with the results of our pupils last summer and delighted with the Ofsted judgement. But the tables are not everything. There is far more to a school and to educating children than just tables. You do so much more than get exam results.

"The Ofsted rating goes some way to highlighting that. The personal development of the pupils is very important. Tables don't record things like that. We are really proud of the achievements of our pupils, but there is an awful lot more which goes on in any school."

The inspectors praised the school for the progress pupils make, stating: "Teachers use their excellent subject knowledge to plan challenging lessons."