Sunnydale Community College has again been hailed by a government minister for its academic performance.

The Shildon school has been officially recognised as being amongst the top 100 schools in the country when it comes to year-on-year improvement – the third year in a row that its achievements have been recognised by top officials.

It follows the publication by the government last month of the secondary school performance tables charting the achievements of students who left school last summer.

Minister of State for Schools Nick Gibb has now written to Sunnydale’s headteacher Sue Byrne offering his congratulations of excellent achievement of Sunnydale’s pupils.