Education standards in Haringey are under the spotlight again after exam performance tables released this week revealed a confused picture of GCSE results in Haringey schools.

The proportion of pupils passing at least five GCSEs at grades A-C this year (26.8 per cent) rose by four per cent on last year.

But Haringey is the sixth lowest education authority in England, and the third lowest in London, with only Hackney and Islington performing worse in the capital.

But the proportion of pupils gaining at least five GCSEs at grades A-E increased from 73 per cent to 77 per cent.

And 92 per cent of students gained at least one GCSE, compared with 89 per cent last year.

Best improver in Haringey was White Hart Lane School in Tottenham. Over the past four school years the proportion of pupils leaving with at least one GCSE pass has leapt from 63 per cent to 88 per cent.

Alan Boyle, Chief Inspector of Schools in Haringey, said: "These schools deserve some praise. The results are a tribute to the efforts of the pupils and the determination of their teachers.

"The local education authorities higher up the league don't face anything like the challenges we face.

"We have large numbers of pupils starting secondary school with little or no English and as steady turnover of pupils, as much as 25 per cent in two years in some schools.

"Our efforts have been producing results in the one A-G category since 1995. We are determined to improve on the category of five As to Cs and included activities in our Education development Plan to deal with this."

Meanwhile Cllr Judy Bax, chairwoman of the council's education committee, has called for the authority to work harder to improve results.

Last week the Independent reported how a council report on education standards in Haringey revealed at least one in five lessons observed by inspectors in the borough were unsatisfactory.

Cllr Bax said the report also highlighted many improvements in Haringey schools, including a reduction in poor teaching, and improvements in English.

"We can't be happy with our results at present and we need to work together to improve. The overall level is not good enough," she said.

"We are getting better, and I look forward with confidence to more improvements next year."

lThe full GCSE league table is inside this week's Independent.

Turn to the letters page for mor

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