Pupils shine with record GCSE results

Teenagers and teachers across the Black Country and Staffordshire were today celebrating some of the region's best-ever GCSE results.

In Wolverhampton, 63 per cent of Year 11 pupils at Pendeford Business and Enterprise College achieved at least five A*-C grades – up from 43 per cent last year. Associate headteacher Kevin Morgan said: "I am delighted that this is our best-ever year but we will of course continue to work hard to improve performance further still."

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A total of 78 per cent of pupils at Our Lady and St Chad Sports College, in Old Fallings, gained five A*-Cs, as did 68 per cent at St Edmund's Catholic School, Compton Park, and 72 per cent at Deansfield High.

At Moreton Community School more than 70 per cent achieved the five A*-C benchmark.

The city's independent schools maintained their high standards, with Wolverhampton Grammar School achieving a 100 per cent pass rate at A*-C and pupils at The Royal Wolverhampton School getting some of the best marks in the country.

In South Staffordshire, Codsall High achieved a 72 per cent five A*-C pass rate and St Dominic's School in Brewood the figure was 97 per cent. At Stourbridge's Redhill School, 73 per cent of pupils gained at least five top marks. Chase Terrace Technology College in Burntwood achieved its best-ever results with a 71 per cent success rate for five or more high grades.

Lichfield's Friary School celebrated record-breaking results with more than 70 per cent of pupils getting five A*-Cs. At the Coseley School and Sports College, standards improved for the fifth year in the row with 60 per cent of pupils gaining five GCSEs at A*-C.

Pupils at The Kingswinford School smashed last year's results with 83 per cent gaining five top grades.

Stourbridge's Old Swinford Hospital School had 94.8 per cent scoring A*-C in five or more subjects.

Perry Beeches School in Great Barr was named the most improved school in the country.