A COMPLETE performance table for Worcestershire's high schools and colleges this morning gave a comprehensive overview of county education.

The Secondary School Performance Tables include GCSE, Value Added and A-level results for high schools across the country.

Selective independent schools once again dominated A-level results but headteachers across the county hailed the introduction of Value Added scores for GCSEs a success.

School performances remained "above average" and the county was ranked in the top third of LEAs for A-levels and 63rd out of 150 for GCSEs.

Malvern Girls' College was the top sixth form - based on the average amount of UCAS points achieved per A-level and AS-level exam taken.

"We are thrilled with our results as this continues to demonstrate how well teenage girls can achieve in a single sex girls' school," said headmistress Philippa Leggate.

"Our results show that we also offer a high level of value-added education, particularly when looking at the progression from entry to achievement at GCSE."

The Alice Ottley School, in The Tything, and St Mary's Convent School, in Mount Battenhall, Worcester, were also high-achieving county girls' schools.

"We are obviously very pleased with our results and the fact that 1we are holding our own against the best schools both in Worcestershire and nationally," said Morag Chapman, headteacher of Alice Ottley.

"While exam results aren't the only performance indicators for schools we have to accept that parents are always going to study them.

"But complete performance tables such as these - including Value Added scores - offer a far more balanced view of schools."

Abbey College Malvern and Bromsgrove School were ranked second and third in the county while Worcester Royal Grammar School was the city's top-performer in fourth.

"This really is an outstanding success and a testament to the hard work of pupils, their parents and teachers," said headmaster Walter Jones.

"While we fully appreciate that examination results are not the only measure of success it would be wrong not to acknowledge the effort put in by our students."

Herefordshire LEA also excelled nationally, ranked 4th in the country at A-level and 25th out of all 150 LEAs for GCSE performance.

However, colleges across the two counties suffered, with five among the worst performing state schools in the country.