THE latest league table results for England’s secondary schools have been released this week with a new assessment added to measure each school’s success.

Based on the grades achieved by teenagers who sat GCSE exams during the 2009/10 academic year, the tables include data on the results gained and the progress made by pupils.

For the first time, the tables also show the percentage of a school’s pupils who achieved the Coalition Government’s new English Baccalaureate.

This was introduced after the exams last summer to encourage schools to concentrate more on traditional subjects including English and science, rather than modern topics, such as media studies or sport science.

To gain an English Baccalaureate, a pupil has to achieve GCSEs at grade C or above in English, maths, a science, a foreign language and a humanity, such as history or geography.

Nationally, an average of only 15.6 per cent of pupils reached this standard. However, in North Somerset, 38 per cent of Backwell School pupils achieved this along with 34 per cent at Gordano School and 25 per cent at Nailsea School.

At Clevedon School, 12 per cent of pupils gained the award and at St Katherine’s School in Pill seven per cent of pupils did.

When the English Baccalaureate was hastily introduced many teachers criticised the move. However, Backwell School headteacher Julian Baldwin has welcomed this week’s results.

He said: “We are delighted that so many of our students have achieved this challenging new qualification, which is a result of the school’s commitment to provide all students with an academically broad and balanced curriculum.”

Topping the table in the Times coverage area for the most pupils gaining five or more GCSEs at grade C or above, including English and maths, was Gordano School with 73 per cent.

The Portishead pupils also beat their counterparts in the Times patch to achieve the highest percentages of pupils making the expected level of progress in English and maths and also gained the highest average point score, which is worked out by awarding more points to pupils for the higher the results they achieve.

Gordano School headteacher Gary Lewis said: “It is incredibly encouraging to see Gordano School placed so well on all of the large variety of league table measures that now exist.

“To know that 34 per cent of our students achieved the English Baccalaureate in the first year has been encouraging but schools like Gordano need to offer a very wide curriculum so that students of all abilities and interests can thrive in education.”

How each school faired: (Categories from left to right read: percentage of pupils gaining five or more A*-C grades including English and maths, percentage of pupils making expected progress in English, percentage of pupils making expected progress in maths and average pupil point score.)

Backwell School 66% 76% 75% 460.6

Clevedon School 62% 84% 60% 443.4

Gordano School 73% 87% 80% 516.8

Nailsea School 65% 73% 71% 470.1

St Katherine’s School 47% 70% 54% 497.9