A SCHOOL is celebrating a dramatic turnaround after scoring its best GCSE results 12 months after it posted some of the worst in the country.

Teachers and pupils at Eastbourne School, in Darlington, are celebrating after provisional results suggest a record 44 per cent of pupils gained the benchmark five or more A* to C grades.

The achievement is a transformation from last year, when only 19 per cent of pupils achieved five A* to Cs.

Nationally, almost one in five papers - 19.1 per cent - were awarded the top two grades, 0.7 per cent up on last year.

The percentage of exams awarded at least a grade C also increased - up 1.2 per cent to 62.4 per cent.

But a slump in maths and English standards has led to criticism that pupils are shirking the three Rs in favour of "softer" subjects.

About 75,000 teenagers gained five A* to Cs which did not include the two core subjects, while entries for media, film and TV studies grew by 25 per cent.

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) is concerned that not enough pupils are hitting the employers' benchmark standard of a C or above in English and maths, with 47 per cent achieving both last year.

The CBI said half of employers are dissatisfied with the basic literacy and numeracy of school leavers.

Sarah Green CBI regional director, said: "Maths and English skills are a vital bedrock for further learning, and are essential both in the workplace and in life.

"We have to sharpen the skills of more of our young people, so that they are starting from the strongest possible position.

"The implications of not doing so are grave. We simply cannot match the labour costs of India, China, and other emerging economies, and only a higher-skilled workforce will keep the UK competitive."

Meanwhile, education officials in Darlington congratulated Eastbourne on the improved results as the school prepares to become an academy next month.

Also reflecting the national record success was Hurworth Maths and Computing College, where provisional results show 96 per cent of pupils reached the standard.

This beats its previous best of 93.5 per cent and means it will almost certainly be named one of the country's best when the value added league tables are published.

Another success story was Branksome, which provisionally recorded a 12 per cent rise on last year with a score of 58 per cent.

Carmel RC College provisionally recorded 82.4 per cent, while Longfield gained 54 per cent.

But provisional results from two schools in Darlington borough were down on last year.

Hummerknott saw pupils gaining five A* to Cs fall three per cent to 68 per cent, while at Haughton, officials have pledged to drive up standards after 35 per cent of pupils gained five A* to C grades - a seven per cent drop on last year.

Elsewhere, students in North Tyneside maintained the borough's improvement, with provisional results showing a record 62.3 per cent of youngsters gaining five or more A* to Cs.

Schools in Newcastle notched up the seventh successive improvement, with provisional results suggesting 59 per cent of achieving the benchmark.

Girls at Teesside High School, in Eaglescliffe, were celebrating after 97 per cent achieved five or more passes at A* to C and almost 30 per cent of all students achieved nine or more A*s or As.

* For comprehensive GCSE coverage, see The Northern Echo tomorrow.