CONEY Green High School is one of the most improved schools in the borough.

League tables released last week revealed that the Radcliffe school was second only to Parrenthorn High as the school whose pupils have made most progress.

This is the first year that value-added scores have been included in the performance league tables.

The scores are believed to be a fairer way of judging a school's success as they show how much progress each school helped its pupils make between the ages of 11, when they took the Key Stage 2 national tests, and 14, when they took the Key Stage 3 tests.

They also show how much progress pupils have made between Key Stage 3 and when they did their GCSEs.

For the latter, Coney Green scored 103, just 0.7 of a point behind Parrenthorn.

Head teacher Diana Morton said: "Our position in the value-added table comes as no surprise to us. It is something that our own internal analysis of GCSE results has always highlighted.

"I am delighted that the hard work of staff and students and the support of parents has been recognised by the publication of the value-added table."

She added: "We can proudly say that at Coney Green students in their GCSE examinations reach levels of achievement way beyond what might have been expected from their Key Stage 3 results."

Neighbouring Radcliffe High School may have been bottom of the local league tables but borough-wide Bury's schools have been ranked in the country's top 30 and are the second best in the whole of Greater Manchester. As reported last week, an average of 56.3 per cent of pupils sitting exams in Bury's 18 secondary schools last summer achieved five or more A*-C grades. This is a record for the borough and means Bury is ranked 28 out out of 147 LEAs nationwide.

Bury's executive member for lifelong learning, Coun Steve Perkins, said: "I'm very pleased about the figures. It is amazing what our schools have done when you consider how poorly funded Bury is as an authority. I congratulate the commitment of pupils, staff, parents and governors."

Bury South MP Ivan Lewis said: "Yet again, all those involved in providing education in Bury can be extremely proud of the young people's achievements.

"We are fortunate to be blessed with one of the best performing education systems in the country."