THREE Keighley-district schools have spoken of their delight after chalking-up top-class results in latest performance tables.

They have achieved outstanding showings in the GCSE and A-level league rankings, published by the Department for Education.

Parkside at Cullingworth was placed ninth in the local education authority table for the number of GCSE pupils gaining at least five A* to C grades, including English and maths.

Headteacher Andy Taylor said he was delighted.

"We are really pleased with how we have moved forward but it is not about the rankings," he added.

"What they reflect is how the change in school has shifted and positively contributed to the students' outcomes.

"It is a reflection of all the hard work of the staff and students and the community, in a relentless drive to improve.

"The results indicate we are doing things right but we need to continue that journey and further enhance the education we deliver."

Holy Family School in Keighley is also pleased with its results.

Sixth-form director Sally Layas said: "Holy Family sixth form is placed as one of the top four state schools in the Bradford authority for academic results and the second-highest for academic progress.

"We are delighted to have achieved so well in both measures locally and are equally pleased to be comfortably within the top ten per cent of schools nationally for achievement."

Sharon Mather, deputy head, speaking about the GCSE performance, said: "We are very pleased with the six per cent increase on last year's headline figures and all indications show we will see further improvement with the current cohort.

"We are also very proud of the notable individual performances of a significant number of our students."

Dr Andrew Cummings, headteacher at South Craven School in Cross Hills, said: "The Education Secretary Nicky Morgan has announced that this was the last year league tables would be based on the five A* to C including English and maths measure. Instead the Department for Education has developed a new measure called Progress 8.

"As an Ofsted-rated outstanding school, we opted into this measure a year early and are delighted that it shows our cohort last summer made better than expected progress."

Bradford district saw a slight improvement in results overall, but politicians said GCSE results were still unacceptable.

Last year, Bradford was ranked joint second from bottom nationally. This year it has moved up the table, to fourth from bottom.

In the latest exams, sat last summer, 45.5 per cent of GCSE pupils gained at least five A* to C grades, including English and maths. The previous year it was 44 per cent.

Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, the council's executive member for education, said: "We all know that the results last summer were not where they needed to be so the league tables do not come as a surprise.

"Although there was a slight improvement in results, it was clear then as it is now that progress needs to be accelerated. The key thing is to focus on implementing our school improvement plan with pace."

Keighley MP Kris Hopkins said it would be churlish not to welcome the slight improvement, but he added: "Our children are still being failed.

"The Labour group is letting down headteachers, teaching staff and pupils right across the district. They need to up their game, and fast."

Cullingworth and Denholme MP Philip Davies said he believed teachers and pupils had never worked as hard as they were at the moment.

He added: "I am pleased that Bradford is a bit higher but it is still completely unacceptable where we are, and there is still a huge disparity between results at the different schools."

Mr Davies has invited schools minister Nick Gibb to visit the district next month and he said he would raise the results issue with him.