AN INDEPENDENT school in Higham has come under fire from a rival school after it claimed to be the best in the country.

Gad’s Hill School in Gravesend Road, Higham, was reported to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) by rival King's School in Rochester.

It follows signs placed outside its grounds proclaiming to be the "top performing independent school in England", based on government league tables.

Head of King’s, Dr Ian Walker said his school offers International GCSEs (iGCSE) rather than the conventional GCSEs, which are not recognised in performance tables.

But head of Gad’s Hill, David Craggs says Dr Walker is “whinging” about rules that are out of his hands.

He said: "We didn’t make the results up. It’s true iGCSEs are not included in the league tables, but that’s not our fault.

“It sounds like a very bad case of sour grapes.”

According to government tables, Gad’s Hill achieved 100 per cent in its GCSEs, with all its pupils scoring between A* to C.

Likening the courses on offer at Gad’s Hill to “Mickey Mouse subjects”, Dr Walker said he blames the previous government for failing to recognise more rigorous GCSEs.

But Mr Craggs told News Shopper his school offers well respected subjects.

He said: “We have a very traditional curriculum.

“Dr Walker was speaking about Pan-Asian cookery and courses in wired sugar flowers, but we do none of that.”

A spokesman for the ASA says the complaint has not yet come through, but when it does, it will establish whether an investigation needs to take place.

If the sign is found to be in breach of advertising standards, the school could be asked to remove it.

GCSE vs iGCSE

The iGCSE is an international qualification and is more internationally focused than regular GCSEs, looking at both foreign and British issues in its courses.

Instead of breaking subjects down into modules and coursework like GCSEs, each iGCSE course tends to have one big exam at the end of the year.

Until June last year, only independent schools were able to offer the iGCSE, but the government lifted these restrictions to allow state schools to teach the qualification.

A spokesman for the Department for Education says the iGCSE will now be recognised in future government league tables.