Warrington's best schools lag behind our neighbours

BRIDGEWATER High School has emerged as Warrington’s top school, in the government’s GCSE Performance Tables.
A total of 68 per cent of pupils obtained five or more GCSEs at grades A*-C or equivalents including A*-C in both English and Maths.
But the figure does not compare favourably with the top schools in any of the neighbouring boroughs where many did better than 70 per cent and some achieved 99-100 per cent.
Second in Warrington were Culcheth High School and Cardinal Newman RC High School with 66 per cent each.
Lymm High School achieved 65 per cent.
Other Warrington schools’ figures were as follows: Birchwood High: 63 per cent; St Gregory’s RC High: 60 per cent; Great Sankey High: 57 per cent; University Academy Warrington: 47 per cent; Penketh High: 46 per cent; Beamont Collegiate: 38 per cent; Sir Thomas Boteler CE High: 27 per cent.
Four of Warrington’s schools failed to achieve the national average for state schools of 56.6 per cent
But top schools in neighbouring boroughs did better than Warrington’s best based on the number of A*-C passes.
In Trafford – which still operates a selective education system – nine schools out-performed Warrington’s best with Altrincham Girls’ Grammar achieving 100 per cent and three other schools obtaining 99 per cent.
In Halton, Wade Deacon High at Widnes posted 77 per cent although no other school in the borough did better than 64 per cent.
Cheshire West and Chester had seven schools with more than 70 per cent and one with more than 80 per cent. Cheshire East had six schools with more than 70 per cent, two with more than 80 per cent and one with 97 per cent. St Helens had two schools with more than 70 per cent and Wigan had four schools above 70 per cent, one of which topped 80 per cent.
Salford had four schools above 70 per cent.
A Warrington Council spokesperson said the figures overall showed really positive outcomes for Warrington students, over and above the national average: “Performance measures released this week showed overall really positive outcomes for Warrington students, over and above the national average, and it’s really important we recognise and celebrate the achievements of our children and young people.
“The council takes seriously its role as champion for Children and Young People and continues to review outcomes for all pupils attending Warrington schools including maintained schools or academies taking a ‘status neutral’ approach in terms of support and challenge.
“Through strong partnership work across the family of Warrington schools and the council we are developing effective sector-led peer to peer support – working together, sharing best practice and challenging each other so that all pupils can achieve their goals.
“We recognise of course some school outcomes need to improve and a range of targeted support and resource is being made available where appropriate.”
The Performance Tables have been widely criticised and dismissed by some as being “a nonsense.”
Figures published by the Department for Education show that more than 300 state schools missed the government’s basic targets for 16-year-olds, compared to 154 a year ago. Overall the proportion of state schools meeting the targets fell by four per cent to 56.6 per cent, with results gained by pupils at many of the top performing schools dropping significantly.
The dramatic fall in grades, revealed in the tables follows a series of reforms designed to toughen up the exams system.
Nicky Morgan, the Education Secretary, said that the dip in results was down to the removal of many vocational qualifications from the performance tables and an effective ban on resitting tests.
Mrs Morgan said the latest performance tables showed that the Government was “restoring rigour” to the education system. “We have raised the bar,” she said.
She added: “For too long pupils were offered courses of no value to them and schools felt pressured to enter young people for exams before they were ready. “By stripping out thousands of poor quality qualifications and removing resits from tables some schools have seen changes in their standings.
“But fundamentally young people’s achievement matters more than being able to trumpet ever higher grades. Now pupils are spending more time in the classroom, not constantly sitting exams, and 90,000 more children are taking core academic subjects that will help them succeed in work and further study.”