RIBBLETON Hall High School has been rated the hundredth worst school in England.

But it is not all bad news for the county, Lancashire schools in general have moved ahead of the national average in grades.

And the truancy rate for the county is at 0.9 per cent, while Ribbleton High last year had a shocking 10 per cent absence rate. And more than a quarter of the school's Year 11 pupils failed to register a single GCSE A to G grade.

Janet Deakin, headteacher of the school, said: "The staff and governors of Ribbleton Hall High School are fully aware of the need to improve the life chances of all pupils.

"Attendance is a major cause of concern and therefore the school has been able to institute a 'first day' absence response system and computerised attendance systems. This has improved attendance figures by eight per cent this year, which will have a positive effect on our pupils' performance next year.

"The governors have set challenging targets to improve overall attainment for 2000."

The school is working with the Local Education Authority and other agencies to encourage parents to take greater involvement in their children's education.

"There are very particular problems faced by many young people in Preston, and these have been recognised by the government through the granting of Education Action Zone status."

But the county also has one of the

most successful institutions in Runshaw College. A grand 97 per cent of all those taking A levels at the institution passing their courses.

The college topped the North West League to the delight of admissions tutor Jim Smith.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.