A record number of Nottingham school pupils gained five or more GCSEs at Grade A* to C this summer. A record number also gained of GCSEs A* to C, including English and maths.

The provisional figures released today by the Department of Children, Schools and Families show that 56.5% of Nottingham City pupils achieved five or more A* to C at GCSE or equivalent. This is just over a three percentage point increase from last year’s final figure of 53.4% compared to a national increase of 2.6 per cent .Results in Nottingham have improved every year since the authority was established in 1998.

Results that included English and maths in the five A* to C GCSEs or equivalent rose to 34.5% compared to 33.1% in 2007. This improvement of just under 1.5 per centage points is more than three times the national increase of less than half of a percentage point from 46.8% in 2007 to 47.2% in 2008.

At Post 16 exams, Nottingham candidates’ ‘point scores’ are above the national average and another increase on the 2007 figures. Nottingham exam candidates gained an average of 751.4 points compared to 748.7 in 2007.

The results rank Nottingham 23 among 147 local authorities at Post 16 level. The GCSE results maintain Nottingham’s position at 141

Councillor David Mellen, Nottingham City Council's Portfolio Holder for Children's Services, said: " We have seen continuous and sustained improvement in GCSE results in Nottingham over the last few years which reflects all the hard work, commitment and investment being put in to improving educational standards in the city. The fact that the City’s achievements are rising faster than the national average shows that the efforts of our pupils, schools, families, the City Council and all our partners is making an impact.”