COMPREHENSIVE schools in Truro were celebrating after national league tables showed them to be among some of the best in the country.

Staff and pupils at Penair School had particularly broad grins on their faces as their GCSE results are the best of any comprehensive in the county, with 70 per cent of pupils achieving five passes graded C or above - 20 per cent above the national average.

Head teacher Barbara Vann said: "We are absolutely delighted. Staff and students work extremely hard to achieve these results and last year we had individuals that got some absolutely outstanding results." Despite having the highest point score per pupil for the area, pass levels had actually dropped since last year, but the head teacher said this was due to factors other than the achievements of individual students' attainment, which was as strong as ever.

The school also featured at number 38 in the Sunday Times 50 best schools list, published late last year, up from 40 in 2002, and the school's "value added" figure - how much children improve during certain periods in their education - was higher than the national average.

"All these figures are important because it shows what youngsters can come here and achieve beyond what might have been expected, but as a school we try to give educational opportunities alongside opportunities to take part in wider activities, which is not reflected in the tables," said Mrs Vann.

Richard Lander School also scored a pass rate above the national average, with 59 per cent of pupils getting five or more GCSEs from A* to C.

That result was down from 66 per cent last year, but the school was still the 11th best comprehensive in the county, out of 33.

The Catholic St Michael's Small School entered the league for the first time since it opened six years ago and achieved pass rates in line with the national average.

Head teacher Elizabeth Davies said the school's results could fluctuate widely because of the small numbers in each year group. "We look at what each pupil can achieve individually and help them achieve the best they can - we don't need a league table to tell us that," she said.

But most headteachers agreed that the tables were flawed.

Even private schools which, as expected, did very well, expressed concerns about them.

Truro School came top five in the county, but head teacher Paul Smith said: "Obviously we're delighted to be top, but it's the same old story that the league tables are flawed." He said the tables took into consideration every pupil, whether they had sat GCSEs or not, which was not helpful when some pupils had taken them a year early or, in the case of some overseas pupils, a year late.

"They're misleading figures. Five per cent didn't get GCSEs because they didn't take them," argued Mr Smith.

He added there was more than these league tables to consider when choosing a school.

"It's only one measure of a school and there are other factors which have to be taken into account," he said.

"But it would sound churlish of me to say we aren't pleased.

"It reflects the hard work of the children and staff; we're pleased that they are rewarded in that respect."

However, he warned: "The figures have changed since these were published, with re-markings etc, so in fact our figures are inaccurate.

"They don't reflect high performers, who sometimes do well to get five or six Cs, and their achievement should be lauded as much as those who get ten As."

Cornwall county council's portfolio holder for lifelong learning, Doris Ansari, praised the schools for their achievements.

"As far as pupils achieving five or more A to C grades are concerned, we've been increasing year on year since 2000," she said.

"We feel that Cornwall's doing extremely well. The national average is 52.9 per cent and Cornwall's is 54.4 per cent.

"I think we've set targets now for 2005 and those again are challenging and aspirational."

However, she added: "They are only part of a measurement of a school and schools deliver much more than just testing at certain stages of a child's career.

"This year they've put in a new phase of that testing and that's 'adding value' from key stage two to key stage four.

"Eleven schools in Cornwall have reached the top 25 in the country.

"Education is about learning to read, write and do mathematics, but it's also about education in its entirety.

"If you have a good experience at school that makes an enormous difference to your life and I think the league tables don't always reflect the good work that goes on in our schools."