BOLTON'S top performing school - and one of the country's best - is once again ranked bottom in the local league tables.

This is despite 100 per cent pass rate of pupils in the girls' division and 98.5 per cent of boys achieving five or more good GCSE grades including maths and English.

Bolton School has been penalised for teaching iGCSEs in some subjects, which the Government does not recognise in performance table.

READ MORE: Secondary school league tables: Children in Bolton make below average progress

Secondary School league tables: Best and worst schools

The department for education released its annual secondary "school league tables" on Thursday, which detailed every school's performance in last summer's GCSE's results.

Read the full list of results below

Copy of Bolton league tables 2019.pdf

And according to the Government not one young person in either school achieved good passes.

Head of the boys' division Philip Britton said: "It is very good to celebrate how well all the schools in Bolton have achieved at GCSE, but it is disappointing that once again we are not in the tables because of Government whim.

"This year there has been even more discussion about IGCSE qualifications, with some saying they are easier than GCSE and confer an advantage on those doing them. I have to say I find this frustrating. Some of our subjects are IGCSE for the same reasons we always chose our courses, because they are the best content to stimulate the pupils and help them enjoy and thrive in a subject. Sometimes that is GCSE, sometimes it is IGCSE.

"The suggestion we chose them because they are easier is ridiculous. We chose them when years ago they were said by everyone to be more difficult as well.

"GCSE is all about a strong foundation for future study and sometimes the IGCSE course is a better preparation for sixth form life and beyond."