THE latest Government Key Stage Three performance tables showed all five Wyre Forest state high schools improved on last year's results.

Wolverley High School's successes prompted Schools Minister, Jacqui Smith, to pen a letter of congratulation to headteacher, Kevin O'Regan.

Thursday's figures, based on year nine pupils' test results, showed an increase in the number of youngsters at the Blakeshall Lane based school achieving the benchmark level five standard in English, maths and science.

Pass rates of 81 per cent in English and 75 per cent in science were above the national average, while its total of 74 per cent in maths was in line with the rest of the country.

Its Value Added score, which measures the progress of pupils from key stage two when they were 11 year olds, was also boosted to 101.3, earning it a place on a list of the 100 most improved schools in England.

An "absolutely delighted" Mr O'Regan - head since 1998 - paid tribute to both his own staff and the work of their middle school colleagues.

He added: "To have achieved this against the backdrop of the Wyre Forest reorganisation and the uncertainties it has created is a very powerful indication of the professionalism of all the colleagues involved.

"It demonstrates, clearly, that we will do everything we can to make sure our young people are not disadvantaged during the reorganisation process."

Kidderminster's King Charles I High School was given reason to cheer as the statistics recorded an improvement on the number of students achieving the level five standard in the three core subjects compared to last year.

Bewdley High School continued its consistent level of performance by comfortably surpassing the national average pass rates in English, maths and science.

The Stourport Road school was given a value-added score of 100.8 and its average point score of 35.8 was the highest in the district.

Stourport High School pupils' hard work in English meant 75 per cent managed to reach level five, compared to last year's figures of 61 per cent.

The tables showed Kidderminster's Baxter College had the lowest number of pupils reaching the benchmark levels in English, maths and science but its scores of 62 per cent in English, 61 per cent in maths and 60 per cent in science were a vast improvement on its 2004 test results.