Headteacher, Jonathan Baker, said: “We were thrilled to receive the letter which came as a complete surprise. We were even more delighted to hear how well our students had done compared to every other school in the country.

“This is the truest measure of how well schools are doing because these tables show the genuine progress made by students from when they first arrived at the school.”

Shipston High, who say they are the smallest secondary school in the county, was the only school in Warwickshire and Gloucestershire on the top 100 list of improved schools.

Mr Baker said: “These tables show that a student at Shipston High School will make more progress than at any other school whether in Warwickshire or Gloucestershire. By anyone’s standards this is a fantastic achievement!”

The Minister also congratulated the staff, governors, and students for their hard work in continuing to drive towards high standards of education.