PUPILS and teachers across south west Hertfordshire were celebrating on Thursday, January 19, after the release of league tables, which showed the performance of many local schools had improved.

The most dramatic turnaround was at Francis Combe School and Community College, in Garston, which recorded a 23 per cent increase in GCSE exam results.

The figures showed the number of 15-year-olds at the school achieving five or more A* to C GCSEs had increased from 16 per cent in 2004 to 39 per cent in 2005.

Overall, 39 per cent of pupils at Francis Combe achieved five or more A* to C GCSEs in 2005. Headteacher Sylvia Moore was delighted with the result.

She said: "Ever since my first days at the school I have had absolute faith in the ability of Francis Combe's pupils and staff to produce exam results that we can be proud of.

"This year saw many years hard work pay off. We have created state-of-the-art learning facilities, we have a team of extremely dedicated teachers who will always go that extra mile for their students and we have gifted, energetic and dynamic students.

"It is this combination of strengths that has created such a pleasing set of results."

The school's deputy headteacher Geoff Carr said one factor that had boosted the school's performance was the decision to stop giving study leave to its Year 11 pupils.

He said: "Our pupils were able to take full advantage of good quality teaching and revision sessions right up to the wire.

"We know that most young people do not find it easy to structure extended periods of free time very effectively. Social activities soon begin to take over from serious study and this is time that is far better spent in the classroom, following a structured programme of study."

At Westfield Community Technology College in Watford, 34 per cent of pupils aged 15 scored five or more GCSES at A* to C, up five per cent on the previous year.

Headteacher Jan Spavin, said: "We were extremely pleased that for the second year running we have increased our results significantly and have been included on the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust's 'most improved schools' list, also for the second time."

Ms Spavin said the results were a credit to the hard work of staff and pupils.

She added: "While the league tables need to be treated with great caution, it is pleasing to have our improvement and success recognised."

Meanwhile, independent schools in the area continued to perform well, with Royal Masonic School for Girls in Rickmansworth recording a value added measure of 1058.4 among the highest recorded in the country.

Royal Masonic was included in a list of 197 schools in England with the best "value added" measures from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 4.

The measure compares pupils' exam performances with the performance of other pupils in the country who had similar prior attainment.

Diana Rose, the school's headteacher, said: "We were delighted with the result, because as far as we are concerned the value added measure is the only measure that means anything.

"We are not driven by league tables we're unique because we are highly inclusive and never ask a child to leave for academic reasons. Our mission is to do the best by each child and to ensure every girl at the school achieves her full potential."

Mrs Rose attributed the school's success to the quality of teaching.

She said the school endeavoured to attract pupils from all backgrounds.

She said: "The school is a charitable foundation and we have children placed with us through the charitable trust."

Two other local independent schools made the country's best value added list: Merchant Taylors' School in Northwood (1056.3) and Watford Watford Grammar School for Girls, (1040.8).