PERFORMANCE tables showing how GCSE and A-level students faired in their 2012 exams have been released by the Department for Education.

At GCSE level, North Somerset pupils equalled the national average for the percentage of pupils achieving five GCSEs at A*-C grade, including English and maths.

For the figures measuring expected progress, North Somerset fell just below the national average in maths but was above the national average in English.

Out of the five secondary schools in the Times coverage area, St Katherine’s School in Pill had the highest percentage of pupils achieving five GCSEs at A*-C grade at 92 per cent and Backwell School had the highest percentage of pupils achieving five GCSEs at A*-C grade, including English and maths, at 67 per cent.

Gordano School in Portishead had the highest measure for pupils making the expected progress in English at 73 per cent and Clevedon School had the highest figure for progress in maths at 78 per cent.

It is understood these latest performance tables do not include results for those pupils who decided to resit their English GCSE exam in November following the summer’s marking fiasco.

Some students believed they had been left at a disadvantage after their June exams were marked using different grade boundaries to papers taken in January, resulting in them receiving lower grades than expected.

Among 2012’s A-level results, sixth formers at Gordano School achieved the highest figure for pupils gaining three or more A-levels (including courses equivalent to an A-level) with 93 per cent.

Gordano and Backwell schools produced the highest percentage of pupils who achieved three A-levels with at least two As and one B grade in facilitating subjects.

These subjects, which include maths, further maths, English literature, physics, biology, chemistry, geography, history and languages, are favoured by leading universities and the AAB achievement is regarded as the benchmark for pupils hoping to gain places on their courses.

* To take a look at performance tables for each school click on the link at the top right of this story.