SCHOOLS in Worcestershire have again improved their GCSE results, according to the latest figures.

The percentage of county pupils achieving five or more A* to C grades at GCSE or equivalent, including English and maths – the Government’s benchmark – rose from 60.1 per cent to 60.7 per cent.

The 2012 secondary school league tables from the Department for Education also revealed Worcestershire schools are largely performing above the national average for the same benchmark of 59.4 per cent.

This is despite some Worcestershire schools seeing their results affected by last year’s English GCSE marking fiasco.

In the Vale, Evesham High School’s results dipped from 57 per cent to 53 per cent and Pershore High School saw a drop of 18 per cent, from 66 per cent to 48 per cent.

Prince Henry’s High School in Evesham improved on its 2011 results, raising attainment of the Government benchmark from 62 per cent to 69 per cent.

The King’s School Worcester and Malvern St James were the best performing schools in the county for GCSEs and equivalent qualifications, with 97 per cent of pupils achieving five A* to C grades, including English and maths.

Meanwhile, RGS Worcester was ranked in the top 200 schools for the percentage of its pupils achieving the English Baccalaureate.

Nationally, Worcestershire ranked 53rd out of more than 150 authorities for the number of students achieving at least five A* to C grades at GCSE and equivalent qualifications, including English and maths.

The most improved school was Trinity High School and Sixth Form Centre in Redditch, whose GCSE results have risen from 32 per cent of pupils gaining the government benchmark in 2009 to 80 per cent in 2012.