Boys outperformed girls in their GCSEs for the first time in ten years at a Birmingham comprehensive.

Exactly 60 per cent of boys at Small Heath School gained five or more A* to C grades this year, while the percentage for girls was just 52.75.

In food technology, 40 per cent of boys gained a C and 15 per cent an A, while none of the girls taking the subject achieved an A and 57 per cent got a C.

The results buck at least a five-year trend of girls outstripping boys in every subject and suggest boys may be about to narrow the gender grade gap.

Small Heath headteacher Peter Slough said he believed "boy-friendly" examples in subjects such as maths and science helped raise achievement.

He said: "We have put in place a number of strategies to help under-achieving boys. Now we are wondering whether we should start using them for the girls too.

"We are pleased with the results, but we are a bit disappointed with the girls' grades. The boys, on the other hand, performed better than ever and outperformed girls for the first time in ten years.

"Their results show the positive effect of 'boy-friendly' examples, male role models within the teaching staff and mentors."

Mr Slough, who has been the head of Small Heath for four years, said more frequent tracking of boys' achievements and regular meetings with their parents had also raised standards.

And he urged the Government to support proposals to replace GCSEs and A levels with a European- style diploma by 2008.

Ministers on the Commons education committee have supported keeping the traditional qualifications.

Mr Slough said: "I am a great fan of the diploma. I believe that GCSEs and A levels should be incorporated into a diploma.

"It will make pupils more well-rounded and improve their basic literacy and numeracy. Industry and business is crying out for better numeracy and literacy skills.

"The diploma will give young people the chance to develop life and vocational skills too. That must be encouraged."

Small Heath's assistant headteacher, Melanie Tyrrell, wanted league tables to distinguish how well a school did in the core subjects of maths, science and English.

She said: "Some youngsters come out of school with eight or nine GCSEs, but still low grades in maths and English.

"I would like to see league tables reflect this.

"There is no means to distinguish between the core GCSE subjects and those that are not core to the curriculum."