schools in the Keighley district recorded contrasting results in GCSE performance last year.

National league tables for both GCSE and A-level results are released today.

Holy Family Catholic School, in Keighley, and Parkside School, in Cullingworth, both saw falls in the percentage of pupils gaining five or more A*-C grade GCSEs.

Holy Family recorded a figure of 48 per cent for 2007, compared with 63 per cent in 2006. Last year's GCSE results for Parkside saw 52 per cent of students attaining five or more A*-C grades, compared to 59 per cent in 2006.

There was better news for Greenhead and Oakbank schools, which both managed to increase the proportion of their pupils reaching the benchmark Level 2 standard.

Greenhead's percentage rose from 38 per cent in 2006 to 43 per cent in 2007. Oakbank managed a more modest rise in the same period - 46 to 48 per cent.

Greenhead School head teacher Tricia McCarthy said she and her colleagues were pleased to have surpassed the authority's expectations.

"We're pleased with 43 per cent as it was predicted we'd only get about 38 per cent," she said.

"We've seen a 21 per cent improvement in the proportion of five A*-C grades over the last three years.

"And the proportion of A*-C grades which included maths and English went up 7 per cent last year. We're on an upward trend and we're determined to continue that."

She added the school taught many pupils who had English as a second language, so she was particularly happy with overall results in English language and English literature.

Oakbank head teacher, Chris Thompson, said: "We're very pleased. It's an improvement on previous years and it's a reward for all the hard work put in by the students and staff of Oakbank." He added: "Of course we can always do better and we're hoping for further success this year."

The year was especially good for South Craven School, at Cross Hills. It registered a 12 per cent rise in the percentage of its pupils achieving five or more A*-C grades. The proportion jumped from 62 per cent in 2006 to 74 per cent last year.

A separate set of tables for A-level and other post-16 qualifications ranked schools by the average number of points achieved per student.

This performance indicator - devised by the Qualification and Curriculum Authority - gives a numerical value to the average number of qualifications studied and the level of the grades achieved.

In Keighley district South Craven School came out on top with 761.4 points, compared to the national average of 731.1.

Holy Family School managed 751.8 points, Parkside 729.1 and Oakbank 629.8. Students at Greenhead managed an average points score of 417.5.

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