Staffordshire sees fall in A-level rankings

Schools in Staffordshire have slipped down the national rankings for A-levels as they regained lost ground in their GCSE results.

The county climbed 14 places to 87 out of 152 local authorities for GCSEs, but slid from 78th position to 102 for A-levels and equivalent academic qualifications. The jump up the GCSE table came despite the Government setting tougher targets for schools – the floor standard this year is for 40 per cent of pupils to gain five grades at C or higher including English and maths, up from 35 per cent last year.

Across the county, the average percentage of candidates hitting that target was 59.9 per cent.

Stafford Grammar School's performance was a highlight as 99 per cent of its 76 GCSE pupils managed five grades at C or higher including English and maths. Those results led to the school being named in the top 200 schools of all types in the country for GCSE grades.

Chase Terrace Technology College was top of the class when it came to vocational qualifications at Key Stage 5, such as BTECs and NVQs as it was named in the top 200 schools of all types in that field. Lichfield Cathedral School came in second for the county for GCSEs, as 93 per cent of its 27 pupils managed five grades at C or higher with English and maths.

St Dominic's Priory School in Stone was fourth – 90 per cent of its 10 students managed similar results.

Chase Grammar School in Cannock was fifth in the county for its GCSEs as 86 per cent of its 22 exam-takers managed the Government's floor standard.