Closure-threatened Wakeman School marks exam success

Wakeman pupils have protested against plans to close the school in 2013

A Shropshire school fighting a proposal to close it has celebrated its best GCSE results.

Wakeman School in Shrewsbury said 76% of pupils received five or more grades A* to C, a 10% increase on 2010.

Head teacher Karen Moore said: "I'm delighted with our results. It's particularly pleasing for us when you consider the difficult year we've had."

A final decision on the school's future is expected to be made by Shropshire Council's cabinet on 7 September.

The Wakeman is the only secondary school named under closure plans. Last month Shropshire Council confirmed that four primaries would close in 2012.

Ms Moore added that, taking English and maths into account, 65.5% of pupils gained five or more A* to C grades, a 16% increase on the previous year.

"It is what we and Ofsted have said all along. We're a good school delivering a good standard of education," she said.

"It's a real credit to the staff and the students who have managed to keep focussed."

Governors at the school have said they are considering applying for academy status as a way to keep it open.

If approved, becoming an academy would take the school out of local authority control.