THE look on the faces of head teacher Phil Poulton, his staff and students was a big give away as Ludlow School returned its best GCSE results ever.

It was a day of success throughout Ludlow and south Shropshire with Bishops Castle Community College returning its best results for a decade, Lacon Childe School in Cleobury Mortimer sustained its high scores and Tenbury High School continuing its recovery.

At Ludlow School 67 per cent of students achieving A-C grades in English and Maths which was a 12 per cent improvement on last year and the number of pupils achieving the bench mark five A-C passes including English and Maths was up by five per cent.

These were the best ever results across all subjects and the best in English and Maths.

“Our tracking systems indicated that this cohort would break all records but they have moved onto another level completely,”

At Tenbury High School Ormiston Academy there were relief and celebration as the school continued its improvement.

Pupils and staff at Tenbury High School celebrated after GCSE results showed continued improvement.

Results show that 64 per cent of pupils at the Tenbury High School Ormiston Academy achieved five passed at grades A-C including English and Maths.

This is six per cent higher than last year when the recovery started after the school was put into special measures at the end of 2013.

More than 70 per cent of pupils achieved grade A-C passes in English and Maths and progress has been above the national average.

At Lacon Childe School there was also plenty to be happy about as the school maintained the high scores that have been established in recent years and included some excellent individual performances.

“It shows that we are doing things right and doing it consistently,” said head teacher Darren Reynolds.

Alan Doust, head teacher at Bishops Castle Community College, described the results that were the best for at least a decade as stunning.

Sixty-four per cent of the students achieved 5 A*-C including English and Maths, up by nine per cent on last year. In addition 38% of students achieved the English Baccalaureate (the Government’s more academic measure of success) which 18 per cent higher than national average “We have been working hard for these results for some time now” says head teacher Alan Doust.

“The College has introduced many new initiatives over the last 2-3 years which we were confident would work, but to have the proof in terms of an uplift in results is very satisfying to see. Behind these results a rigorous system of support and intervention, not to say a lot of hard work from all concerned.”