A Shropshire grammar school was today named one of the worst in the country for offering value for money, according to data analysts.

Adams’ Grammar in Newport was ranked in the bottom five selective schools nationally.

The rankings, based on figures put out by Education Secretary Michael Gove, compare a school’s spending with its A-level results and measures the cost of those grades.

They show the most cost effective school achieves top scores at one eighth the price of the most expensive.

The top of the table is also dominated by grammar schools while the lower end is populated by comprehensives because of their different intakes. Wide variations can, however, be found between similar schools in the same area.

Data analysts Munro Global used Mr Gove’s figures to show the average cost of gaining 100 Level Three points at each school, an A* being worth 300 points and an A 270.

Alan Smithers, professor of education at Buckingham University, claimed the figures showed simply increasing budgets of schools with large numbers of pupils from poor families was not the way to improve results.

Councillor Stephen Burrell, Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for children and young people, today said Global’s ranking system did not compare like with like.

He said: “Adams’ Grammar is a thriving school with 99 per cent of students receiving five A*-C GCSE grades.

“At A-level, the overall pass rate is 99 per cent and 71 per cent of pupils receive A*, A or B with 19 per cent of students of students receiving A*.

“These results show Adams Grammar is one of the top performing schools academically in the country.

“The figures from the Department of Education show that GSCE pupils at Adams’ Grammar receive less grant funding per pupil than the national average – £4,631 per pupil as opposed to the national average of £4,997 – and that the school itself generates a further £2,111 funding per pupil.

“This additional funding reflects the fact that Adams’ Grammar offers boarding which therefore distorts any comparison with other selective day schools.

“The council is keen to offer value for money and that’s why the Comprehensive Spending Review published last year outlines legacy projects, including our proposals for sports and learning communities, to identify cost savings.”

By Simon Hardy