Extra funding is to be pumped into a Kidderminster school which came in the bottom 200 of school GCSE performance tables, it was announced today.

Only 38 per cent of students who attend Baxter College achieved the target of obtaining five or more A* to C grades including English and maths.

Headteacher David Seddon dismissed the figures as “a blip” after a review of education in the Wyre Forest district and shortages because of staff sickness last year.

But he also admitted that classroom absences had been high and five parents taken to court for their children’s non-attendance.

He said moves had been put in place to address the problems, such as the recruitment of three extra teachers and closer working with the five feeder schools.

Today, Worcestershire County Council announced that it had secured extra funding of £173,000 to enhance support for the college following the announcement that it faced a National Challenge to improve standards.

The National Challenge was announced by the Government last summer to ensure that no school falls below the threshold of 30 per cent of students gaining five or more GCSE at grades A* to C, including English and maths, by 2011.

Colin Weeden, head of raising achievement and access to learning, said: “Baxter College has made good progress in recent years in improving pupils’ achievements but there was in dip in GCSE performance in 2008. We have secured additional funding of £173,000 to enhance our support to Baxter College following the recent announcement of a National Challenge to improve standards at schools across the country. “This will add to support already initiated by us, amounting to £75,000 worth of extra input for the college. This combination of funding will allow us to implement a support package.