WILTSHIRE education chief Bob Wolfson has congratulated pupils and teachers for their achievements with the release of the Government's school league tables.

The 2001 tables, which show the performance of pupils in the summer GCSE and A level examinations, show the county's schools are doing well and reveal 55.4 per cent of GCSE pupils achieved five or more A* to C grades.

The figure is 7.5 per cent higher than the national average and 1.15 per cent higher than the results for similar local education authorities.

Mr Wolfson said the figures showed the county was well on the way to achieving targets set by the Government.

He said: "This very good performance means Wiltshire is well on track to meet its performance target of 57.7 per cent set by the Department for Education and Skills for 2002.

"It reflects the hard work of young people and staff in schools across the county. They are to be congratulated for doing so well."

He said the number of students achieving grades A* to G was also pleasing and in line with other, similar, education authorities, but 2.1 per cent above the national average.

Wiltshire A level results were also in line with the national picture.

The average points score per student was above average for similar schools and LEAs nationally. Performance in vocational courses was well above the national average.

Mr Wolfson said: "The performance of pupils in sixth forms is also good news.

"At Advanced and AS level, standards are in line with those nationally."

Schools in the county were celebrating their results, but said the tables did not show the whole picture.

Nick Sorensen, headteacher of St Laurence School, said the school was very pleased with its results but the tables do not reflect pupil achievements throughout their time in school.

He said: "League tables give limited information and I wouldn't want any parent to fully judge St Laurence on these raw results because we do so much more in a school and there are many things that we do in school that we cannot measure.

"Schools in west Wiltshire do work together and share ideas. I regularly meet with other headteachers and we all try to work together."

This year the Government piloted a new system of tables with 100 schools to show the value added by schools.

The Government was celebrating yesterday with the news it has reached its target for half of all 15-year-old pupils gaining at least five top passes a year ahead of schedule.

Exactly 50 per cent of 15-year-olds gained at least five passes at A* to C grade compared with 49.2 per cent last year and 45.1 per cent in 1997.