NORTH Yorkshire has been ranked highest in Yorkshire and the Humber for student progress in GCSEs.

The county also remains well above both Yorkshire and the Humber and the national average for GCSE results.

Provisional figures published this week by the Department for Education show that the county has performed very strongly across a range of attainment measures.

Pupils performed exceptionally well in the new GCSEs where 9 is equivalent to A* plus and 1 is the lowest pass.

The county came first in Yorkshire and the Humber with nearly 48 per cent of pupils gaining a strong 9-5 pass for English language and literature and mathematics compared to 43 per cent for Yorkshire and the Humber and 41 per cent nationally.

North Yorkshire also came first in the region for Progress 8 and third in the Attainment 8 measures – which include GCSE scores and progress scores from across the curriculum, including English and mathematics.

County Councillor Patrick Mulligan, executive member for schools, said:

“These results reflect North Yorkshire’s determination that all students can meet their full potential and that our schools continue to offer excellence and a broad, balanced and appropriate curriculum.”