SCHOOLS have been celebrating their GCSE and A-level progress following the release of rankings tables by the Department of Education.

The tables reveal the progress of every school and measures how well they have done in their GCSEs and A-levels.

Progress at GCSE level is rated by Progress 8 Score - which is a new benchmark measurement used to track pupils’ predicted progress when they first arrive at the school compared to their actual grades.

In Southend, Westcliff High School for Boys managed to achieve the highest score in the borough, with a point score of 0.66 while the Eastwood Academy, in Rayleigh Road, achieved a score of 0.58.

Principal Neil Houchen, from the Eastwood Academy, said: “It’s the result of a great effort from everyone, teachers, pupils and everyone else who works here.

“We are all tremendously pleased and we hope we can go one further next year.

“It has been a massive effort and we have had to work very hard in the last few years. Everything has come together.

“The Progress 8 is probably the fairest measure.

“It has replaced the previous so-called value-added system and is generally fairer across the board.” But he added: “It’s not perfect, though. Where you have a small cohort of students I think it can distort results.

“But it is generally a more level playing field especially for parents to compare schools in the area.”

Across Basildon, Castle Point and Rochford, the De La Salle School, in Ghyllgrove, Basildon, achieved the top Progress 8 score of 0.43.

The Appleton School, in Croft Road, Benfleet, received a Progress 8 score of 0.33 while the pupils at the James Hornsby School, in Leinster Road, Laindon, managed to achieve score 0.26.

Mayflower High School, in Stock Road, Billericay, achieved a score of 0.2 while the 312 pupils at the King John School in Shipwrights Drive, Thundersley, achieved a 0.14 score.

However, some schools fared less well in the rankings.

Chase High, in Prittlewell Chase, Southend, was given the fifth lowest ranking across the borough, with a score of -0.68.

Headmaster Andrew James said: “My thoughts are that our “five GCSE grades of A to G” was the best it has ever been this year and we are delighted but no one is talking about that anymore and that doesn’t do us any favours.

“The Government is trying to compete against schools from the likes of Singapore and Hong Kong, which is great because we should all have high aspirations, but the UK is coming out lower than they liked so they changed it to make it harder.

“This does not mean great things for our kids.”