A LEIGH high school gained above average GCSE results -- even though nearly half the students had special educational needs.

School performance league tables showed at Westleigh High School 91 per cent of students gained five or more A* to G passes in 2001 even though 45.8 per cent of the school's candidates had special educational needs -- one of the highest percentages in the borough.

Across the Wigan and Leigh Education Authority the average score for five or more passes at A* -- G was 90.6 per cent while nationally there was a 88.9 per cent pass rate.

Regarding at least five GCSE passes at Grades A* to C the borough's average score was 47.1 per cent, slightly below the national average of 50 per cent.

Westleigh was one of only four schools in the borough to get 100 per cent of pupils gaining at least one GCSE pass.

Headteacher John Pout said: "We serve this community and will take anybody -- regardless of their ability.

Over-subscribed

"For the first time in the school's history next year we will be full and over-subscribed with first choice preferences. That shows what the community think of this school."

The percentage of Westleigh pupils achieving five GCSE's from grades A* to C has shot up by 33 per cent from 18 per cent in 2000 to 24 per cent this year.

However the tables showed the school had the highest truancy rate with 4.3 per cent. But Mr Pout insisted the school was well attendended with 90 per cent attendance in the autumn term, a rise of six per cent since 1997.

He added: "The league tables are flawed in this respect because they don't reflect attendance."

Lowton High School was shown to be the third highest performing school in the borough with 62 per cent of students gaining A* -- C passes. Fourteen per cent of the Lowton students had special educational needs. Wigan's Deanery High School came top with 66 per cent.

Lowton Headteacher Sue Crosdale said: "We are absolutely delighted. When the year group arrived in school they were not exceptional. But they have given so much to the school, and not just academically. They, and the staff have worked really, really hard. They have done themselves more than justice."

Tony Colley, headteacher of Fred Longworth High School said their results "highlighted the continuing improvement of Fred Longworth High School."

At the school 59 per cent of the 222 GCSE candidates gained five or more A* to C grades, while 96 per cent achieved five or more A* to G passes.

Mr Colley said: "It's no co-incidence that our emphasis on the core values of behaviour, respect, good teaching and hard work has resulted in a rise from 35 per cent to almost 60 per cent of students gaining five good grades at GCSE over this period."

He added there was a real "buzz" about the school.

BOX

% 5+A*-C 5+A-G no passes

Bedford High School 32% 88 8

Fred Longworth High School 59 96 2

Golborne High School 36 93 1

Hesketh Fletcher CE High School 40 90 5

Lowton Community High School 62 93 5

Mornington High School 31 86 10

St Mary's Catholic High School 56 94 4

Westleigh High School 24 91 0