By Fiona Cooper

One of Sittingbourne’s secondary schools is still under-performing according to the latest GCSE league tables published last week.

But the head teacher at The Sittingbourne Community College, Alan Barham, is upbeat his school will show dramatic improvements within two years – the deadline set by the government under its National Challenge for failing schools to improve standards or face being closed or merged.

According to the tables, 59 per cent of pupils at the school in Swanstree Avenue achieved five or more GCSEs at A*-C grades. However, the pass rate for five or more A*-C grades including English and maths was 27 per cent – the same as for 2008.

The government is demanding at least 30 per cent of pupils in each school gains five good GCSE passes, including the key subjects of English and mathematics, by 2011.

Mr Barham said he was “delighted” with the 59 per cent figure – an increase of 10 per cent – and the 96 per cent pass rate for A-level results.

But he added that he believed the majority of Kent secondary high schools found the government’s 30 per cent target “challenging to match”.

He predicted that the college’s results of 27 per cent for 2009 would increase to more than 40 per cent within two years.

He said: The college improved its performance in every measure.

“I am confident that the college will continue to improve students’ academic success to match the performance of other schools in Swale.”

At The Westlands School, head teacher Jon Whitcombe was “thrilled” with what he described as his pupils’ “tremendous performance”.

The tables show that 74 per cent of pupils achieved five or more grades at A*-C. The figure for five or more grades at A*-C including English and maths was 38 per cent – the same as for 2008 and eight per cent above the government’s target.

“The Value Added measure between Key Stages 2 and 4 of 1042.1 is the best the school has achieved and within the top three per cent of all secondary schools nationally,” said Mr Whitcombe. “This figure continues to demonstrate that pupils make far more progress with us than with almost all other schools in the county.”

He said the results had led to a “huge rise” in the number of students staying on into the sixth form.

“Our sixth form results in 2009 were our best to date with our average point score per student rising to 588.3 and our average point score per examination entry rising to 198.9,” he added.

“We are constantly looking for new and effective approaches to teaching and learning which will help us fulfil our ambition to become the highest performing school in the county in terms of the progress individual pupils make.”

Grammar schools dominated the list, although at Borden Grammar School the percentage of pupils achieving five or more GCSEs at grades A*-C including English and maths dropped to 88 per cent in 2009 from 96 per cent in 2008.

Head teacher Harold Vafeas said there had been many “outstanding” results and “solid achievements”, including 23 pupils achieving eight or more A*/A grades.

He added: “While the percentage of students attaining five A*-C grades including English and maths was not quite at the levels of recent years, the average points per subject entry equalled the previous best, and the school achieved its best ever proportion of A*/A grades.

“Year 13 students at Borden achieved a very good set of A level grades. Overall these results are a great credit to students and staff.”

At Fulston Manor, staff and students are celebrating figures that show 53 per cent of pupils achieved five or more A*-C grades including English and maths, an increase of 13 per cent over 2008, and 68 per cent of pupils gained five or more grades at A*-C.

“This record breaking success, combined with excellent A-level results, gives good reason for celebration,” said head teacher Alan Brookes.

He added: “I am no great supporter of league tables, believing co-operation between schools to be far more productive than competition.

“It is also self evident that schools are about so much more than just examination results. Having said this, the fact that so many students have done so well is a source of immense pride; everyone involved deserves congratulating on what has been a massive team effort.

“We are very fortunate to have outstanding staff at Fulston Manor, fully supported by parents and governors, and once students become aware of just what is possible results such as these will follow.”

The top performing secondary school in Sittingbourne was Highsted Grammar, where 98 per cent of students achieved five or more grades A*-C

including English and maths – a drop of two per cent over 2008 – and the same percentage gained five or more grades at A*-C.

A school spokeswoman said head teacher Jennifer Payne did not want to comment.