A HEADTEACHER has questioned the usefulness of school league tables. Dr Michael Firth, headteacher at The Meridian School, Royston, said: The tables are an interesting read and helpful in part. But they are only indicative of one aspect of the school a

A HEADTEACHER has questioned the usefulness of school league tables.

Dr Michael Firth, headteacher at The Meridian School, Royston, said: "The tables are an interesting read and helpful in part.

"But they are only indicative of one aspect of the school and do not include the social, moral and ethical aspects.

"Subjects not included in the figures are drama, music and sport.

"Therefore parents should not make decisions based solely on these tables," he said.

The league tables reflect students' results at GCSE and A-level.

The Meridian School scored 994 in the "value added" category, which indicates the progress pupils make between SATS exams and GCSE's.

This is slightly below the national benchmark score of 1,000.

Some 60 per cent of students at the school achieved five or more A*- C grades at GCSE.

At A-level, the average points score per student at Meridian was 673.8.

At Freman College, Buntingford, 70 per cent of students got five of more A* - C's.

The value-added score of 1003.1 put them well above the national average.

Freman's A-level performance was also impressive, with an average points score per pupil of 878.2.

Headteacher Helen Loughran said: "The results continue to improve from an already high baseline.

"I'm delighted for the students, who have achieved such high standards while also giving so much to their extra-curricular and other college commitments.

"Although the tables do not show a value-added score for A-level, the University of Durham have told us our results would put us in the top 10 per cent of schools in the country," she said.

Bassingbourn Village College also scored 1003.1 in the value-added category, with 64 per cent of pupils getting five of more A* - C grades.

Meanwhile, at Melbourn Village College, students celebrating five or more A*-C's numbered 69 per cent. Its value-added score was 991.3.