MOORHEAD High School has the worst GCSE pass rate of all the schools in the Accrington area.

Figures from the Government's department for education and skills show just 22 per cent of the 198 pupils taking GCSEs at Moorhead last year gained five or more passes grades A-C.

Eighty six per cent gained five or more passes at grades A-G.

The figures compare to 33 per cent at Hollins Tecnology College, 38 per cent at Mount Carmel RC High School, 34 per cent at Oswaldtwistle Rhyddings High School and 54 per cent at Accrington St Christopher's C of E High School. The figure for the whole of the Lancashire LEA was 50 per cent.

Moorhead also shows a fall in GCSE pass rates over the last four years from 27 per cent in 1998 to 25 per cent in 1999 and 2000. Hollins and St Christophers also showed a decline in their pass rates.

The percentage of pupils gaining no passes at all at GCSE level has risen from two per cent in 1998 to eight per cent last year.

Moorhead High School, in Cromwell Lane, Accrington, has 924 pupils aged 11-16 on its mixed ability roll, 52 of whom are statemented with special educational needs.