Pupils smash GCSE records

Shropshire teenagers smashed GCSE records again today, mirroring a national picture which has seen two thirds of exams awarded good grades.

See also: Pupils across county celebrate GCSE results

But across the country there was a drop in the number of pupils gaining at least a grade C in English, and the number of pupils taking a foreign language continued its steady decline. Overall, 21.6 per cent of grades were awarded an A* or A.

This is an increase of 0.9 percentage points on last year.

More than 67.1 per cent of entries were at grades A*-C, up from 65.7 per cent last summer.

At the showcase comprehensive Thomas Telford School, 99.4 per cent of candidates went far beyond the Government benchmark of achieving five high grades, including English and maths, by gaining 10 or more such passes.

One student achieved 15 A* grades while five others gained between 12 and 14.

Headmaster Sir Kevin Satchwell said he was delighted with the performance of his students.

Other state schools across Telford & Wrekin have achieved their best ever results.

Elsewhere, Shrewsbury Girls' High - one of the county's top performing schools - is celebrating what headteacher Marilyn Cass described as an "embarrassment of riches".

Of its record entry of 81 candidates, 39 have achieved straight A*/A grades in every subject taken - at least 10 each.

As expected, 100 per cent of the girls achieved five or more A-C grades.

Shropshire's international school, Concord College at Acton Burnell, recorded its best ever results with a 100 per cent pass rate and 72 per cent of exams awarded a A* or A grade.

Gail Denham, head of the lower school, said: "What makes these results even more impressive is that the majority of our students are from overseas and English is their second or even third language."

Local students also performed well, with Harriet Watkins getting 11 A/A* grades, Philip Parker, 10, Bennett Webb, nine, and James Clifford and Hannah Nijsten, both eight.

Aggie Caesar-Homden, Shropshire Council cabinet member for children and young people's services, said: "Early indications are that Shropshire's results are very good."

By Education Correspondent Dave Morris