Headteachers in Luton have refused to reveal detailed GCSE pass rates, after making a pact between them not to divulge the results to the media.

Only Ashcroft High School broke the agreement, after the Crawley Green Road school boasted its highest ever percentage of more than five A* to C grades at 50 per cent.

But other headteachers in town have defended their decision not to release their provisional pass rates, using the excuse that some papers will have to be remarked.

Luton Borough Council also refused to reveal how each school fared individually, but it did say that provisional GCSE results indicate that schools in Luton have performed well this academic year, and the figure for five or more GCSEs has risen by more than three per cent, to 54.5 per cent.

Icknield High head Chris Dean said the pact was a long standing one, despite local newspapers having received details about pass rates in previous years.

Mr Dean said: "We are trying to work together rather than in competition. The results we have at the moment are unvalidated, they are subject to degrees of change as there are appeals that go in. The general rule is that we don't reveal results at this stage."

A spokeswoman at the Town Hall said: "Owing to the provisional nature of these figures it is not possible to provide data for individual schools. We are not aware of a pact between the schools but it is at their own discretion whether to release news about their results."

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