EDUCATION bosses have begun scrutinising this year's GCSE results to try and spot any schools in danger of falling into special measures.

Two high schools in Blackburn with Darwen have been placed in special measures over the last year - Queen's Park High School and Darwen Moorland.

The damning verdicts of the Ofsted inspectors at the schools - within the control of the Blackburn with Darwen local education authority, which had previously won Government awards for improving standards in schools - has led to claims that education bosses should have spotted the situation sooner.

The number of children gaining five or more GCSEs grades A*-C at Queen's Park fell from 19 per cent in 2001 to 18 per cent in 2002 and down to 16 per cent last year - the second lowest figure in the seven years Blackburn with Darwen has run the LEA.

At Darwen Moorland, the number of pupils achieving GCSEs grades A*-C fell from 30 per cent in 2001 to 29 per cent in 2002 and 22 per cent in 2003 - even lower than when Blackburn with Darwen took over from Lancashire County Council.

This year's GCSE results were published last month and education chief Coun Dave Hollings said: "We have begun scrutinising results to see any trends.

"There have been lessons learnt and we have reviewed how we offer schools support. As a result we will be able to assist schools before it gets to the point where inspectors arrive and place them in special measures."

Conservative councillor and former teacher John Williams said: "It is very damning that a council which won an award for improving schools let two slip into special measures. The council has a duty to keep a closer eye on schools and make sure we don't let down any more pupils."

In a report to last week's full council, Coun Hollings said a review inspection would be carried out at Queen's Park High School this month to see what improvements had been made, while checks at Darwen Moorland have led officials to believe the school could be out of special measures by September 2005.