SKIPTON Girls' High had one of the highest points scores per pupil for GCSE results in the country - with the town's Ermysted's Grammar School not far behind.

The average total points score by a Girls' High pupil in last summer's GCSE exams was 535.3. Ermysted's was 491.3.

It is no surprise that the two schools are near the top of the tables as they select their pupils by academic ability. However the tables also rank the schools highly in the "added value" score, which are intended to allow fairer comparison between schools.

The top school in Craven for "added value" is a private school, Giggleswick, which scores a massive 1054.5 between key stage two, when pupils generally join a secondary school, and key stage four, when they leave.

A figure of around 1000 is deemed average progress by the Department of Education.

Despite achieving its best-ever GCSE results with 47 per cent of pupils achieving at least five top grade passes at GCSE, Aireville School has recorded poor "added value" marks.

Its disappointing score of 939 comes in the same week as two classes of students at Aireville received GCSE results in English Language. The Year 11 students had been entered for their examination earlier than normal.

The 53 students were thrilled by their results with 80 per cent achieving an A* to C grade.

Those who missed out on a C grade were close enough to be confident of achieving at least a C in the summer examinations while their colleagues can focus their attention on other GCSE courses.

Headteacher Stuart Mason said the school was proud of its GCSE results.

"As a rapidly improving school we view the value added scores as our next challenge," he said. "As a non-selective school in a selective area, we are currently looking to further develop our curriculum to ensure success for all of our students across the entire ability range."