ONE broad conclusion can be drawn from the thousands of excellent GCSE exam grades chalked up by south Essex students - little by little, year by year, the standard is rising.

Of course there are inconsistencies across the board, good and bad. Schools' performances go up and down in the tables, results in specific subjects vary quite strongly from year to year.

Yet it needs to be reiterated - Essex results are improving.

This point needs to be firmly emphasised, because negative reaction has become almost a matter of habit.

Government and employers are both so keen to improve standards they tend to overstate the hurdles still to be cleared, rather than the ones which have already been successfully negotiated.

Obviously, complacency must not be allowed to set in. But the hard work of staff and students also deserves acknowledgement.

On today of all days, they deserve not to be told "Could do better", but an unqualified "Well done".