ONE of the country's first "Fresh Start" schools, which could be set for closure, was named as statistically one of the worst schools in the nation in the School Performance League Tables.

Firfield Community School, in Newcastle, was placed eleventh worst in the country, with just four per cent of its pupils gaining five or more GCSE examinations at A-C grades.

Last night, headteacher Russ Wallace said it was unfair for league tables to compare his school with selective independent schools without taking into consideration factors such as social and economic deprivation.

He said: "We were not surprised by these results at all. Year groups change, and the year in question was not a good year group.

"The school was set to close, so a lot of children were taken out of that group.

"We had a large number of children who just did not attend at all, and therefore had 35 per cent who achieved no GCSE exams.

"But a large number of children who did come to school did leave the school with qualifications.

"If you look at the children we get and the value we add, how much they improve while at the school, then I am quite happy with what we achieve.

"We have a better year group 11 this year and, if next year we have not improved our performance by about three times, then I will not be happy.

"The league tables should be about value added, what the student leaves the school with compared to what they came in with - their ability on intake and on leaving.

"Unemployment in the area, the amount of pupils on free school meals, family circumstances, special needs, these should all be taken into account. It would be a much fairer way.

"I agree, schools should be held accountable, but to look at value added would give parents a much more realistic view of schools."

The school is threatened with closure because of budget problems and surplus places.

It opened two years ago with £2.5m of Government cash, but will close if parents sending their children to the school approve the plans.

The school has a capacity of 700 but only 433 pupils, which has led to a "substantial budget deficit".

It was the Government's first "Fresh Start" school, promising pupils in areas of poor educational standards a better chance