Schools' league table success

The percentage of students at Ringmer Community Colleges with five or more GCSEs at C or above (including Maths and English) lept from 37 per cent last year to 49 per cent, and Chailey School recorded a 10 per cent improvement during the same period, from 53 per cent to 63 per cent.

Independent school Lewes Old Grammar School received a 100 per cent success rate using the same measure, and Priory School maintained it's position in the top third of schools in the county.

Kathy Stonier, principal of Ringmer Community College, said: 'A number of factors have contributed to our improved results, including: personalised learning, targeting and tracking of students, and our student support systems.

'Our status as a specialist college has also helped the college to gain national recognition as a high performing school.'

Lesley Young, headteacher at Chailey Secondary Scool, said: 'We were very pleased with our results but they weren't just down to luck, our students really made the most of all the help available.

'Staff provided regular revision sessions after school and in the holidays and the uptake was excellent.'

Martin Ofield, headteacher at Priory School, was happy with the school's results, which saw a four per cent drop in the number of students achieving five GCSEs at C and above (including English and maths) but were still good enough to ensure the school was ranked as the 12th best in East Sussex.

Mr Ofield said: 'I am very pleased that the league tables show Priory School amongst the top schools in East Sussex in terms of the contextual value-added score (the current system used by the Government).

'This success reflects the hard work and commitment of students and staff and the support of parents.'

An impressive 100 per cent of students Lewes Old Grammar School achieved the benchmark of five or more GCSEs, and headteacher Robert Blewitt said: 'It was to receive a letter of congratulations from Jim Knight, Minister of State for Schools and Learners, saying how pleased he was with the school's performance, and personally I'm very pleased the staff and pupil's hard work has been rewarded.'