Foreword by the Secretary of State for Education and Employment

I am delighted to welcome the publication by the Department for Education and Employment of this year's comparative tables of school and college performance.

These tables together cover all secondary schools in England. Each contains a wealth of information - on GCSE and GCE A/AS level examination results, on achievements in a number of specified vocational qualifications, and on levels of pupil absence from school.

You will be able to find out more about a particular school by asking to see a copy of its prospectus. Every entry in the tables includes the school's address and telephone number.

If your interest is in the performance of schools and colleges which have students in the 16-18 age range you will want to refer to a separate set of tables. These include secondary schools and Further Education sector colleges.

This year's results are a credit to pupils, parents and teachers. In the 1995 tables you will be able to compare the performance of individual schools in your own area, and to set this in the context of local and national levels of achievement.

I think you will find the tables both interesting and informative.

Rt Hon Gillian Shephard, MP
Secretary of State for Education and Employment