A HARTFORD school is celebrating one of the best improvement rates in the country after topping their record GCSE results for a third successive year.

Schools are ranked by the local education authority on the percentage of pupils gaining five A* to C grades including English and maths, regarded as key subjects.

League tables released last week showed 84.5 per cent of GCSE students St Nicholas Catholic High School met this criteria, beating the school’s record of 79 per cent set last year.

Headteacher Kieran Kelly said: “Following on from the outstanding A Level results, Year 11 students have responded by producing the school’s best ever GCSE results by some margin.

“This is the third year in succession that the school has produced its best ever results.

“An astonishing 97.9 per cent achieved five A* to Cs overall. The results are absolutely outstanding with 84.5 per cent of students gaining five A* to C grades including English and maths.

“We are absolutely delighted with what has been achieved and we are very proud that St. Nicholas Catholic High School continues to demonstrate exactly why it is such an outstanding school.”

St Nicholas’ results between 2011 and 2013 make them one of the top 100 schools in the country for showing the greatest sustained improvement in percentage of pupils achieving five or more A* to C grade GCSEs, including English and maths.

David Laws MP, minister of state for schools, said: “The results this year, and the sustained improvement over the last three, are a shining testament to the hard work and success of the staff, governors and pupils.

“Between 2011 and 2013, the school has proven to be one of the top 100 showing the greatest sustained improvement in the percentage of pupils achieving five or more A* to C grade GCSEs, including English and maths.

“The school is clearly equipping its pupils for success in both further study and future employment.”

Weaverham High School is also celebrating after witnessing a nine per cent increase, with 71 per cent of students achieving five or more A* to C grades including English and maths.

Headteacher David Charlton said: “We were delighted by the nine per cent increase in the proportion of pupils achieving 5 or more A*-C grades including English and Maths.

“Undoubtedly this was due to the success of our initiatives in working with boys as their achievement was almost identical to that of our girls. This goes against the national trend.

“We have also seen a large increase in the number of pupils achieving the EBacc qualifications. This is due to the increase in the number of our pupils making exceptional progress in maths, English, science, languages and humanities.”