Head salutes 100% exam success rate

Kevin Satchwell, headteacher of Thomas Telford school in Shropshire, yesterday declared himself the luckiest head in the country after his school became the first comprehensive to chalk up a 100% success rate at GCSE.

Every GCSE entrant at the school gained at least five grade A*-C passes - more than twice the national average in the state sector - making it the top comprehensive in the country in the government league tables published today.

Thomas Telford opened in 1991 as one of 15 city technology colleges launched by the Tories as part of a programme to raise school standards through innovation.

The colleges have been encouraged to use ground-breaking learning and teaching methods relevant to the 21st century and boosted by extra financial resources from the private sector.

Pupils at Thomas Telford work a 35-hour week - one-third more than the state school average - and take home 10 detailed teaching reports to their parents every year. The day begins at 7.30am and can last until 7pm. Lessons last three hours.

Competition for places is so keen that the school now attracts more than 1,000 applications every year for just 168 first year places.

Staff also work a longer week, but are rewarded with performance-related pay and receive extra payment for covering classes and running school clubs and societies.

What the tables do not show is that all the pupils achieved at least six passes at the higher grades, while 91% gained 10 or more top grades.

Mr Satchwell, who has been head since the school opened, said yesterday: "No one should underestimate how hard we have worked to achieve 100%. Everyone connected with these fantastic results should be congratulated for their contribution. I am probably the luckiest headteacher in the country to have had the privilege of leading Thomas Telford school to this record breaking position."

He said it was important the school shared "what is working effectively here with other schools who want to work with us". Significant progress had already been made with more than 500 schools around the country using some of its online teaching and learning materials, he said.