THE controversial Barnsley academy which was set up to boost education in Worsbrough is well behind governement GCSE targets.

In June the education secretary set a national challenge to struggling schools, eight of which were in Barnsley.

They were ordered that by 2011 at least 30 per cent of pupils must gain five or more A* to C grades including maths and English - or face closure.

Yet last week only 14 per cent of Academy pupils made the grade, a decrease of six percent from last year's figures.