PROVISIONAL GCSE data for South Cumbria has been released early to help parents who are choosing a secondary school for their child. 

The Department for Education has published GCSE results for schools nationally ahead of secondary school admissions deadlines, which in Cumbria falls on October 31. 

This exams data may be subject to change before the full performance tables are published in January. Changes are still taking place due to re-marks. 

Ulverston Victoria High School recorded its best ever GCSE results this summer. The provisional data shows that 65 per cent of the UVHS students achieved the headline measure of at least five A* to C GCSE grades, including English and maths. 

But UVHS said the figure is now at 67 per cent after re-marks. The school is still waiting for some other re-marked results. 

Roger Cahalin, an assistant head at UVHS said the school was delighted with the record results. Speaking about provisional results, he said: “Overall the school headline figure will not change dramatically. 

“Parents need as much information as they can get about schools, but results are just one element of that. Parents should not choose a secondary school just based on exam results.” 

Barrow’s Furness Academy achieved its best ever results. The provisional headline figure is 50 per cent, but the academy says the figure will be 52 per cent of students achieving five or more of the top grades, including English and maths. 

Walney School’s provisional A* to C pass rate, including English and maths, was 28 per cent percent. That figure would be a steep drop on the 2014 pass rate of 45 per cent. 

Head teacher John Richardson said: “Our headline measure of 5A*-C including, English and maths, was disappointingly low this year. This one measure does, however, mask some pleasing outcomes in different subjects across the school, especially the technology subjects that support our town’s skill need. “We maintain our relentless drive for whole school improvement and cannot help but be disappointed by the performance of this particular cohort of students, for whom the rapid changes in the school did not impact quickly enough to shift entrenched low performance. “We are absolutely confident that these outcomes are not reflected in the learning and progress of the students currently at Walney school and are already projecting significant improvements in results, as we are observing in the learning, conduct and culture of students throughout the school.”

The provisional results for Barrow's St Bernard’s Catholic High School is a 61 per pass rate, which would maintain the 2014 result which was a record year for he school. St Bernard’s said it still has some re-marks outstanding.

Dowdales School, Dalton, has a provisional pass rate of 64 per cent, and Millom School’s provisional figure is 51 per cent. 

At Chetwynde School, Barrow, the provisional pass rate is 72 per cent, while at Cartmel Priory CE School it is 57 per cent, 51 per cent at John Ruskin School, Coniston, and 48 per cent at The Lakes School.