WEYMOUTH and Portland schools helped Dorset achieve its best-ever exam results in national league tables published today.

All Saints' Church of England School in Weymouth was a major success story of 2005, according to the tables - after improving its results substantially from 2004.

And the Thomas Hardye School in Dorchester produced what headteacher Dr Iain Melvin described as a 'spectacular' set of results, chalking up another record-breaking GCSE and A-level year.

But pupils across the county were the biggest winners in the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) annual achievement and attainment tables after a record number gained five A* to C grades at GCSE.

Nearly 61 per cent of pupils achieved the standard, almost four per cent above the national average.

The tables also reveal that an impressive 98 per cent of all schoolchildren completed their courses and left school with at least one qualification - also a record for the county.

A-level and AS level results were a mixed bag for schools and colleges with students chalking up a new average points score record for Dorset but still failing to reach the national average.

The comprehensive tables, which record everything from exam results to truancy rates, are used to measure schools' and pupils' achievement every year and have become an invaluable guide for parents.

Tim Balmforth, headteacher at All Saints' in Wyke Regis, said: "We are always pleased with the performance of our children but we don't necessarily need the league tables to tell us that.

"In general terms the league tables paint a small part of the picture in schools, although I can see they are very important for parents.

"But I am always prepared to praise the efforts of our pupils and the hard work of staff."

The successes in GCSE results for 2005 represent a recovery for Dorset County Council's local education authority after a fall in 2004.

In 2004, a total of 59 per cent of pupils achieved five A* to C grades. This represented the first percentage fall for six years.

But the 2005 figure of 61 per cent means the county has not only eclipsed its best but also kept above the national average of 57.1 per cent.

The council's portfolio holder for children's services, Toni Coombes, said the results were excellent news for staff and pupils.

She said: "It is wonderful that more of our young people are achieving qualifications and higher grades, helping them to achieve in the job market or further education. Our congratulations go to the students and their teachers for continuing hard work and success."

The council also praised improvements in maths and English, which are not reflected in the tables published today, but are better than the national average.

Harry Turner, head of pupil and school improvement, said: "These results represent a high level of improvement in our schools across the county. However, we are not complacent - we want to look forward and continue to improve."

There were some complaints from teachers that the tables were not a true reflection of a school's achievement.

Others said the DfES had not collected all the exam results and had marked schools as performing below their true level.

The Association of Colleges, a national body which does not count Dorset schools and colleges as members, has issued a complaint to DfES that delays to changes to the league tables meant students and parents were "misled" by them.

Maggie Scott, director of learning and quality, said: "Many colleges appear to do poorly.

"The main reason for this is that the tables discriminate against colleges with mixed-economy students - those studying A-levels and certain vocational courses such as NVQs - because this vocational element of the students' education does not contribute to their points score and the average for the institution suffers unfairly."