A TORBAY secondary school is to feature in a special Department for Education publication as one of the 50 most improved schools in England for GCSEs.

Brixham College will feature in the Government Initiatives publication, GCSE Excellence 2011, for its rising academic standards.

The publication is seen by staff at the college as an official confirmation of the students' progress.

The publication will go to all secondary schools in England, each local authority and beyond, in March.

Principal Mark Eager said featuring in the Government publication was a 'real accolade for the students and staff of the college and an opportunity to publicly thank them for their efforts in making Brixham College a better place for all'.

He said: "Brixham College is an exceptional school with a fantastic learning environment and ethos."

According to the recently published performance tables released by the Department for Education, the proportion of students gaining five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C in 2010 was 62 per cent, 43 per cent including English and mathematics.

Those figures increased in 2011 to 78 per cent and 54 per cent respectively.

The number of A and A* grades rose from 80 to 197.

Mr Eager said: "Everything we do at the college supports and improves the achievement of our students. We are constantly driving up standards of teaching and behaviour.

"We provide personalised and flexible curricula, outstanding care for all, and opportunities for personal development away from the classroom."

Since taking over the helm in 2009, Mr Eager has worked to turn the college's fortunes around and improve results and set new priorities for improvement.

Three areas were targeted in particular behaviour, teaching and learning.

His senior leadership team was slimmed down and roles reassigned within the three priorities.

A faculty structure was introduced, led by faculty leaders with deputies and assistants. Governors' sub-committees were reorganised around the priorities to challenge the leadership group on performance.

Mr Eager said: "Accountability is embedded at every level. The investment in leadership, its distribution, lines of accountability, learning skills, expectations and values has led to significant improvements in all three priority areas.

"This was confirmed by Ofsted in September 2011. Their report states that 'actions taken have had considerable impact in raising attainment, improving behaviour and developing the quality of teaching'.

"Students now exceed national averages in key stage four outcomes. They make better progress than those nationally. They are more effective learners.

"Conditions for learning are enhanced by high expectations.

"Students' behaviour contributes positively to their learning.

"Interventions enable them to maximise their potential.

"The quality of teaching has improved because of formative coaching and targeted professional development. Assessment is accurate and progresses learning. Targets are challenging."

As part of the changes put in place at the 1,010-pupil college, Brixham College became an academy. The school was recently ranked as good with outstanding features by Ofsted inspectors. Torbay and Brixham councillor Mike Morey, chairman of governors at the school, said: "It's excellent news for Brixham College. It is the icing on the cake after a brilliant Ofsted report and good GCSE results. It shows we are moving ahead. The college is now an academy and we ought to capitalise on these good results and move from good to excellent."