KEY stage 3 pupils in some of Worcester's schools improved less than other schools in the county, today's league tables have shown.

Three out of the city's five senior schools did not meet the Worcestershire average for value-added score at key stage 3 - the amount pupils improve from key stage 2.

The county's average value-added score was 100.1, and only two city schools topped it. Nunnery Wood High School pupils got 100.9, and Bishop Perowne CE College students scored 100.6.

Alun Williams, headteacher at Nunnery Wood, said: "They were record results for Nunnery Wood and were thoroughly deserved by a delightful and hard-working group of students.

"We are particularly pleased that our value-added score is so high, measuring as it does that progress that each and every student has made in their first three years here at Nunnery Wood.

"While league tables represent only one aspect of what we do, and we firmly believe that education is about unlocking each student's potential in all sorts of ways, we are very happy that achievement at both key stage 3 and GCSE are so high at the school."

But Worcester's three other city schools all dipped below the Worcestershire average value-added score.

Children at Christopher Whitehead Language College got 99.5, while Blessed Edward Oldcorne Catholic College got 99.4, and Elgar Technology College scored 97.1 - the lowest in the county.

When asked by the Worcester News, the Bilford Road school declined to comment on their results.

However, top of the county for its value-added score was Pershore High School with 101.6.

Headteacher Clive Corbett put its success down to hard-working youngsters with a positive attitude, and supportive and highly committed and enthusiastic teachers and support staff.

"I would like to congratulate all of our current year 10 students on this success, along with their teachers and support staff," he said.

"It is another important step in the upward progress of the school. Our aim remains to ensure that the achievement of students at Pershore High School continues to rise over the years to come."

While Worcestershire pupils' average point score of 35.2 at key stage 3 beat the national average of 35.0, the city's schools produced a mixed bag of results.

At Bishop Perowne, the average point score was 36.1, topping the table in the city, with Blessed Edwards at 36.0 and Nunnery Wood at 35.9.

But dropping below the county average was Christopher Whitehead with 34.4, and Elgar with 30.4.

Top of the county for average point score was the Chantry at Martley, near Worcester, well above both the Worcestershire and national averages.

click below for Worcestershire and Herefordshire tables