Two South Croydon secondary schools are among the 20 most improved in the country, according to the latest GCSE league tables

Thomas More Catholic School and Harris Academy Purley have both seen the number of students passing the exams with top grades soar in the last three years. 

Thomas More, in Russell Hill Road, Purley, saw 80 per cent of pupils achieve at least five GCSE at grade A*-C including English and Maths last year - up 29 percentage points on 2010. 

That rate of improvement is matched by Harris Academy Purley in Kendra Hall Road, meaning the two schools are joint 19th most improved among English state schools. 

Harris saw 76 per cent of pupils pass five GCSEs at A*-C, up from 47 per cent three years ago. 

Margaret Mulchrone, headteacher at at Thomas More, said: "It is fantastic news for us. We are delighted.

"We are the only comprehensive school in Croydon to have achieved that result; the other school achieving the same position in Purley is an academy.

"Congratulations to all staff and students and all parents for their support."

The pass rate for the whole of Croydon rose from 54.4 per cent to 64.4 per cent in the last year years, according to figures published this week. 

 

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