EXAM successes have paved the way to the top of the league table for the district's schools.

In the 1998 secondary school performance tables, published by the Department of Education on Monday, all six senior schools scored highly in the Leeds Education Area.

Staff at Benton Park School in Rawdon welcomed the school's success at the top of the league table, with 69 per cent of pupils gaining five or more GCSEs at grades A-C.

Head teacher Anne Clarke said: "We have highly qualified, good teachers, and very strong discipline.

"There is a good ethos and atmosphere, but we do try to stress academic success for all our pupils."

However, Mrs Clarke said she believed that success in school league tables should not be seen as the only measure of the determination and commitment of schools.

She added: "I think everybody agrees that school league tables are not comparing like with like.

"Schools in poorer areas get stuck at the bottom of the tables.

"That just doesn't acknowledge the work that they do."

Mrs Clarke added: "Everybody is delighted. Parents do look at the school league tables and we are very heavily oversubscribed."

St Mary's RC Comprehensive School, at Menston, is also leading the way in standards, with a matching 69 per cent of pupils achieving five GCSE grade Cs or more.

Head teacher Michael Pyle, said: "We recognise that examination results are just one measure of a school's success, and we are equally proud of our pupils' involvement in music, drama, sport and support of charities.

"I support the notion that tables provide some important information for parents, and it is rewarding to be recognised as one of the best schools in the area."

He added: "Our GCSE results were particularly pleasing in a year group containing a high proportion of boys, as boys are generally out performed by girls at GCSE."

Ilkley Grammar School boasts a success rate of 65 per cent in the same category.

Head teacher Peter Wood, said: "As far as we are concerned, we have had very good results for this year.

"It's very much down to the hard work of pupils and the commitment of staff.

"Giving raw results doesn't always do justice to some of the schools that perhaps work with more difficult students than we have, but I would still say that we get good results.

"They don't just happen, they do have to be worked for."

At Otley's Prince Henry's Grammar School, 59 per cent of last year's students gained five or more A-C grades.

Head teacher Mike Franklin praised the efforts of staff and students, but described school league tables as irrelevant.

He said: "We are fairly satisfied with the results this year, but we think that we are on an improving trend and would expect to see the results improve."

Mr Franklin also branded league tables unhelpful, because they did not show progress made by all students.

He added: "The tables would be more meaningful if they took into account the performance of the pupils when they arrive at the schools.

"You can't get a league table in ethos and the general atmosphere which encourages pupils to work."

Ian Philp, head teacher at Horsforth School, which showed a five per cent increase in pass rates to 55 per cent this year, was pleased that last year's standards had been maintained.

He said: "The league tables are only one measure of a school's success and are very over simplified.

"They do seem quite a rough and ready measure.

"I feel sorry for schools in inner city areas where only 70 to 80 per cent of pupils have English as a first language."

Tony Thornley, head teacher of Guiseley School, where 60 per cent of last year's GCSE pupils gained at least five GCSE grades A-C, said: "The results show that a lot of hard work was put in by students and staff, and it is a trend that we hope to continue."

He added: "What we have at the moment is not fair.

"It doesn't encourage you to work hard with all students, and it makes some schools look poor."

l Independent schools scored highest in the tables, with Woodhouse Grove, at Apperley Bridge, recording a pass rate of 78 per cent, an increase of seven per cent on 1995's figure.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.