CHORLEY teachers praised this year's GCSE candidates -- as national league tables showed the town's students are top class.

Pupils at the borough's six high schools turned in excellent performances this summer, with almost all beating the Lancashire average in the national league tables.

Across Lancashire, 49.6 per cent of 15 and 16-year-olds bagged five GCSEs at grades A*to C.

In Chorley five out of the six high schools smashed the county average.

At specialist school Bishop Rawstorne CE Language College, 67 per cent of pupils passed five GCSEs (grades A* to C) -- making it the top performing school in the borough. George Lloyd, head teacher of Bishop Rawstorne, said: "We are delighted at the performance of the students and they certainly fulfilled their potential.

"Over the next few years, rather than peaks and troughs we want to create a very strong academic plateau."

Parklands High pupils also impressed, following closely behind with 65 per cent, and specialist technology college Southlands High and St Michael's CE High both scored 63 per cent.

Holy Cross RC High and Albany High scored 53 and 40 per cent respectively.

Tony Charnock, head teacher of Holy Cross, said: "We are very happy with the results. Every year we are trying to get children to realise their full potential. I think Chorley is very luck in the quality of schools in the area."

County councillor Hazel Harding, chairman of education and cultural services, said the county's schools should be proud of their results, but warned against judging schools on the league tables alone.

"In Lancashire we work to give each individual child the opportunities they need to reach their full potential," she said.

"Schools should be judged by a broad range of measures alongside the performance tables."