Schools across Saffron Walden and Dunmow have been rated by the Department for Education based on students’ progress and attainment.
Saffron Walden County High School topped the table of local secondary school performance with an "above average" rating for student progress, recent government data has revealed.
The academy achieved a score of 0.4 in the government's new measure, "progress 8". This shows how much progress students at a school made between the end of key stage 2 (KS2) and key stage 4 (KS4), which is ages 11-16, compared to other pupils across England who got similar results at the end of KS2.
It is based on academic results in eight qualifications, which include English, maths, three English Baccalaureate qualifications including sciences, computer science and humanities, and three other approved qualifications.
County High also came first in terms of student performance, with a score of 58.9 in the "attainment 8" measure. This score is based on how well pupils have performed overall in these eight qualifications.
Caroline Derbyshire, executive headteacher at the SWCHS, said: "County High's attainment is the highest of any non-selective school in the county of Essex.
"The fact that our students make progress which is also considerably above average is something that families in our town can be really proud of, especially when you consider that they came to us from such excellent primary schools."
Nationally, the average score for student attainment at state-funded schools was 46.7. For student progress, the average score was -0.03.
Elsewhere, a rating of "average" for progress was given to three schools: Joyce Frankland Academy in Newport, Chelmer Valley High School in Broomfield and Forest Hall School in Stansted Mountfitchet.
Joyce Frankland fared the best of the trio on progress and attainment with scores of 0.21 and 53.5 respectively. Forest Hall fared the worst, achieving scores of -0.09 and 39.4 respectively. A rating of "below average" was given to Helena Romanes School and Sixth Form Centre, which is based in Great Dunmow. The school received a score of -0.35 for progress and 44.7 for attainment. This places it below the national average in both the measure of progress and attainment.
More information of the results can be found at: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/schools-by-type?step=default&table=schools&parliamentary=Saffron%20Walden&geographic=parliamentary&for=secondary.
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