Kent getting good GCSE results

Classroom standards in Kent's secondary schools improved again in 2008, with more pupils securing five or more good GCSE passes, according to the latest set of Government league tables.

Official figures show that across Kent, close to 50 per cent of pupils achieved five or more GCSE passes including maths and English in 2008 at grades A* to C, the Government's favoured measure of performance. That compares with 48.5 per cent the previous year and once again outstripped the national average of 47.6 per cent.

The number of pupils achieving five or more GCSE passes at grades A* to C in all subjects also rose. Across the county's secondary schools, 67.4 per cent of students reached that level, a 2.5 per cent increase on the previous year. It is the 10th successive year the results have bettered the national average on this measure.

There was also some encouraging news for some of the 31 schools in the county identified by the Government last year as under-performing in relation to its new national target.

Eight of those on the National Challenge list have already reached the Government's target of having 30 per cent of pupils passing five or more good GCSEs by 2011. There were improvements at 14 others who have yet to do so but at the same time, however, standards fell back at nine on the list.

Meanwhile, in Medway, the number of pupils passing five or more good GCSEs at grades A* to C was 47.6 per cent while the number passing five or more GCSEs in all subjects was 66.5 per cent.

Source: Kent Online