MOST secondary schools in Mid Devon have recorded an increase in their GCSE pass rates, according to Government performance tables released yesterday (Thursday).

The tables give information on a school's GCSE and A-level results, and include a value added score -- designed to measure how a school has added to its students' levels of achievement.

The score is based on progress made by individual students from one stage of their education to another, and a measure of 100 is broadly average.

In the Mid Devon area, Uffculme School notched up the best results, with 68 per cent of pupils gaining five or more A*-C GCSE grades, although that figure is down from 73 per cent last year.

For more results see this weeks Mid Devon Star

"For a number of years we have been hovering around the 40 per cent mark for A*-C pass grades, so we are pleased that this has improved to 45 per cent.

"We do have a large number of children who do not get five grades A*-C, but they have also done well.

"We are looking forward to improving next year and the staff are working hard to this end."

In the private sector, Blundell's School, in Tiverton, had 91 per cent of students gaining at least five top GCSE grades, leading to a ranking of seventh in the county.

 A full table showing the area's schools' results will be published in next week's Star.