Secondary schools in Cornwall have been learning how they have done in the government league tables, the first since tougher GCSEs in English and maths were introduced last year.

Schools are judged by two recently new measures, Progress 8 and Attainment 8 which monitor the progress made in eight subjects between the end of primary school and GCSEs.

The tables use raw GCSE results from last year and a raft of data from the Department for Education to evaluate how well pupils progress in a school.

This statistical first release provides information on the achievements in GCSE examinations and other qualifications of young people in academic year 2016 to 2017. This typically covers those starting the academic year aged 15.

Among the schools performing well in our area are Falmouth School, Penryn College, Mullion School, Redruth School, Camborne School and Richard Lander School in Truro which all performed above average in progress 8 and attainment 8.

Average progress was seen at Penair School in Truro and Hayle Community School while Pool Academy achieved below average progress.

No data was provided for Mullion, Helston or Hayle Academy.

Overall the progress 8 measure across Cornwall was -0.03% The government says that educational standards continue to rise across England’s secondary schools with more young people from disadvantaged backgrounds achieving good grades in the core academic subjects.

It said the attainment gap between disadvantaged secondary school pupils and their peers has narrowed by 3.2% since last year and 10% since 2011 and that GCSE (A*-C) pass rates at 16-18 had increased in English, up from 22.8% to 27.1%, and total entries to English and maths GCSEs by 16-18 students increased by 26.3% and 13.6% respectively.

However many areas saw below average progress, with more than one in eight schools across the country with lower than average progress in GCSE exams.

Some 365 schools, or 12%, were below the new tougher floor standard. In 2016 it was 282 schools or 9.3%.

The DfE admitted there had been an: "increase in the number of schools which are deemed to be below the ‘floor standard’ for Progress 8".

School Standards Minister Nick Gibb said: "Academic standards are rising in our schools thanks to our reforms and the hard work of teachers, with 1.9 million more children in good or outstanding schools than in 2010. Today’s results reinforce this success, with teachers and pupils responding well to the new more rigorous curriculum introduced by this government.

"The attainment gap between the most disadvantaged pupils and their peers has narrowed by 10 per cent since 2011, and more disadvantaged pupils are studying the core academic subjects, ensuring they have the knowledge and skills they need to make the most of their lives.

Many free schools and academies are also delivering excellent results for pupils – with Harris Federation and Dixons Academy trusts leading the way.

We will continue to use this evidence to drive up standards even further for all pupils so that they leave school prepared for future success in their education and beyond, helping to build a Britain that is fit for the future.

However Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “Today’s secondary school performance tables cannot be compared with previous years because the government has once again moved the goalposts. The new 9-1 grading system for GCSE English and maths has complicated the way in which the headline measures of school performance are calculated, with Attainment 8 and Progress 8 having to be worked out using a combination of 9-1 grades and the old A*-G grades.

“As the DfE itself says in today’s statistics, these changes are the main reason why there has been an increase in the number of schools which are deemed to be below the ‘floor standard’ for Progress 8. It is extremely unfair that more schools find themselves in this situation because of complex changes to the way in which this is calculated.

“It is also very frustrating that the bar for achievement in English and maths has been raised arbitrarily to a grade 5 under the new system, which is higher than the old standard of grade C. And it is potentially baffling for parents and employers that schools are now judged on grade 5 – described as a ‘strong pass’ – while grade 4 is good enough to be deemed a ‘standard pass’.

“Our message to the DfE, trust boards, governors and inspectors is to avoid leaping to judgement on the basis of these performance tables. They only tell us a limited amount about the true quality of a school. The qualifications system is undergoing significant change and there will continue to be turbulence in summer 2018 with the next phase of new-style GCSEs.”

To see how your school has done the league tables can be found here.