FIVE out of seven Wyre Forest schools’ GCSE pass rates are below the national average for subjects including English and maths, despite some results improving.

At Wolverley CE Secondary School, 31 per cent of pupils achieved five A*-C grades including those subjects - a drop of 10 per cent from the previous year. The national average was 49.8 per cent.

The publication of league tables this morning for 2009's exams has shown a number of schools in the district achieved better results than in 2008, however.

Heathfield and Holy Trinity were the biggest success stories, as the only Wyre Forest schools to beat the national average for GCSEs including English and maths.

Baxter College, King Charles I and Stourport High School and Sixth Form Centre all also achieved above average point scores per pupil at A level.

Baxter College has seen a rise in results across the board, after recording one of the worst GCSE pass rates in England in 2008.

A total of 32 per cent of students gained grades A*-C including English and maths, up from 18 per cent the previous year.

Headteacher Dave Seddon said the school had achieved its “best ever” results, whether as Baxter College or previously as Harry Cheshire High School.

He added: “It is an amazing turnaround from where the school was six years ago. I am proud of everything we have done here. I‘m chuffed to bits.”

At Holy Trinity School in Kidderminster, 83 per cent of GCSE pupils gained five or more grades A* to C including maths and English - down nine per cent on 2008.

All pupils at Heathfield School in Wolverley matched the previous year’s performance by achieving at least five grades A* to C with English and maths.

Students at Stourport High School achieved a 46 per cent pass rate in GCSE exams including English and maths - up seven per cent on 2008- with 72 per cent passing in any subject. The school averaged 708.6 points per pupil at A level.

A total of 48 per cent of King Charles I School pupils in Kidderminster reached grades A* to C including maths and English at GCSE, up from 39 per cent in 2008.

At Bewdley School and Sixth Form Centre, 49 per cent of pupils reached A* to C including English and maths - a drop of six per cent from 2008. The average A level point score per pupil of 701 was an improvement on 637.1 the previous year.

Kidderminster College’s average of 590.3 A level points per pupil was up 15 from 2008.