A SCHOOL which posted one of the worst GCSE pass rates in England has been praised for having a positive impact on its pupils.

Colchester’s schools have appeared at the top and bottom of education league tables, published today.

Colchester Royal Grammar School and Colchester County High School for Girls posted some of the best GCSE results in the country.

But Sir Charles Lucas Arts College and Alderman Blaxill School received low rankings.

At Alderman Blaxill, 20 per cent of pupils got five A* to Cs in GCSEs last year, including English and maths, missing the Government’s 30 per cent target. It was in the bottom 200 schools nationwide.

Jonathan Tippett, executive headteacher of Alderman Blaxill, Thomas Lord Audley and Stanway schools, criticised the focus on exam results and highlighted the school’s “well above average” contextual value added score.

The value added score measures how well a school helps pupils make progress, including factors such as deprivation and special needs.

An average score of 1,000 indicates pupils achieve what is expected of them when they start secondary education. Alderman Blaxill recorded a rating of 1001.8.

Mr Tippett said: “I think this is a truer measure of performance. The five A* to C pass rate is the only figure that has gone down, which is bitterly disappointing.

“Different measures can be used to give a different message about a school.”

Sir Charles Lucas posted one of the 100 lowest value added scores in the country, with 964.9 points.

But head Jude Hanner said: “A school having a good value added score will not get children a job in later life, but having good exam passes will. That is what we focus on.

“Our percentage of pupils getting five A* to C grades, including English to maths, has improved by 7 per cent.

“Our value added score does not take away from the year-on-year progress we are making, which was endorsed by a positive inspection from Ofsted last year.”

Every pupil at Colchester Royal Grammar School and Colchester County High School for Girls got five GCSEs at A* to C, including English and maths.