TWO thirds of schools in Blackburn with Darwen and more than half of schools across East Lancashire have performed worse at GCSE level than last year, league tables revealed today.

But headteachers and union leaders today urged parents to look at value-added scores rather than grades alone in a bid to gauge performance -- and called on the government to bring tables out sooner.

The league tables include the percentage of pupils achieving A*-C grades and A*-G grades in East Lancashire secondary schools.

While Bowland High School in the Ribble Valley, Alder Grange in Rossendale, and Rhyddings in Hyndburn showed marked improvement, 22 out of 40 schools slipped on last year.

The league tables also include 'value-added' scores between Key Stage Three and GCSE /GNVQ level. These scores are calculated from a base mark of 100 and track how a school helps its pupils to improve.

The deputy head at fee-paying Tauheedul in Blackburn, Muni Vali, was celebrating after the school received the top value-added score in East Lancashire of 108.6. "It is down to sheer hard work," he said.

And Lilian Croston, principal of Westholme School in Meins Road, said the 105 value-added score was "wonderful" and put the school in the top five per cent nationally.

Head teacher at St Hilda's RC High School, Burnley, Bernadette Bleasdale, achieved a Value Added Score of 101.1, despite a four year drop from 74 to 59 per cent in GCSE results.

"We are delighted with the score after the amount of hard work by staff but I am concerned about the number of people who actually understand it," she said.

"At the least, tables need to be out much sooner. This is almost an historical document when we are weeks away from this year's pupils taking their exams."

And David Hempsall, principal, at QEGS, said the scores were "merely aggregates".

The league tables also revealed that grammar schools in the area have bucked the national trend by pipping independent schools to the top of the class.

Clitheroe Royal Grammar and Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar narrowly came top of the area's fee paying schools with 100 and 99 per cent of pupils attaining A*-C grades ahead of Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Westholme and Tauheedul-Islam Girls' school. Martin Morris, head of Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar, said: " I would really love to see a measure from 11 to 18 to really gauge value added. But I am most impressed that there is such a marginal difference between the schools.

"There is no rivalry with the independent sector and more movement between the two than ever before. But each other's results presents a challenge to live up to."

Five East Lancashire schools have also taken part in a pilot scheme this year to run value added scores between Key Stage Two and Four -- the ages of 11 and 16.

John Gosling, head at Witton Park High School, was invited to take part in the pilot after coming in the top two per cent of schools for value added scores.

He said: "Parents need a value added score which tracks pupils through high school. It is the best way for them to judge how much of an impact that school has on children's education.

"Confidence is growing in how that measure is calculated although there is always room for improvement."

Across Lancashire 53 per cent of pupils compared to 51.7 per cent received A*-C grades.