GCSE results in the district have improved overall despite one school falling into Essex’s worst performing ten.

The secondary school league tables for exams taken in 2015 were released yesterday, ranking schools by the percentage of pupils achieving five A* to C grades, including English and maths.

Hedingham School, in Sible Hedingham, had the best overall results, improving from 51 per cent in 2014 to 64 per cent and becoming the district’s top-ranked school in Essex at 33 out of 85.

Maltings Academy, in Spinks Lane, Witham, also did well, despite a drop to 58 per cent from 63 per cent in 2014.

The school, which was rated outstanding by schools inspector Ofsted last year, was also comfortably above the national average of 53.8 per cent of pupils gaining A*-C in maths and English, with 63 per cent making the grade.

Fellow Witham school, New Rickstones Academy, in Conrad Road, was only slightly under the national average overall, on 53 per cent.

In terms of Essex rankings, Maltings Academy came in at 49, just ten places behind the private Gosfield School.

Percentage achieving 5+ A*-C GCSEs (or equivalent) including English and maths 

  • National average 53.8%
  • Hedingham School 64%
  • Maltings Academy 58%
  • Notley High School 57%
  • New Rickstones 53%
  • Tabor Academy 50%
  • Alec Hunter 48%
  • Ramsey Academy 48%
  • Honywood 40%

In Braintree, Notley High School, in Notley Road, was the best performing school with 57 per cent of pupils achieving an A*-C grade and 61 per cent getting an A*-C in maths and English.

Alec Hunter Academy saw a 10 per cent improvement on its results as 48 per cent of pupils achieved an A*-C grade overall, including maths and English.

Tabor Academy, which was put into special measures in January 2015, also saw an improvement with 51 per cent of pupils making the grade, compared with 42 per cent the previous year.

Percentage achieving grades A*-C in English and maths 

  • National average 55.8%
  • Hedingham School 65%
  • Notley High School 61%
  • Maltings Academy 63%
  • New Rickstones 54%
  • Tabor Academy 51%
  • Alec Hunter 50%
  • Ramsey Academy 49%
  • Honywood 42%

In Halstead, Ramsey Academy fell below the national average from 55 per cent in 2014 to 48 per cent this year.

Honywood Community Science School, in Westfield Drive, Coggeshall, was the worst ranked school in the area, placed at 76 out of 85 Essex schools for last year’s results.

Ramsey Academy was ranked at 67, Tabor and Alec Hunter at 65 and 68 respectively, while Rickstones was placed at 59 and Notley at 52.