Bruce George, MP for Walsall, has hailed a further rise in GCSE results for local schools in Walsall following the publication of secondary school results today.

However, schools across Walsall have seen big improvements in results, according to today’s figures. Over the last year (2009 compared to 2008) there has been:

A 5.6% percentage points rise (from 59.4% to 65%) in the number of pupils getting five or more GCSEs at A*-C grade. This is a big increase of 30.4 percentage points from just 34.6 % in 1998.

A 3.4% percentage points rise (from 40.6% to 44%) in the number of pupils getting five or more GCSEs at A*-C grade, including in the vital subjects of English and maths. This is a big increase of 18.2 percentage points from just 25.8% in 1998.

Bruce George MP said:

“This year’s GCSE results show a great increase over the last year and a real transformation in school standards across Walsall since 1997. Improvements to the local system in Walsall have been particularly noteworthy since education was taken out of the Council’s hands and given to Serco. I have been visiting the local schools in Walsall for over 30 years and I can see the positive changes that are taking place. I would like to congratulate the local teachers and pupils on the success they’ve had this year.

Thanks to extra investment and the hard work of teachers and pupils, there has been a revolution in our local schools. There are 230 more teachers and 670 more teaching assistants across Walsall. Exam results are up, school buildings and facilities are being transformed, and more young people are staying on in education or doing an apprenticeship at 16.”