Record GCSE results by Bradford schools last year failed to sustain a climb up the national school league tables, it has been revealed.

In ten years, the proportion of the district’s secondary school pupils achieving five GCSEs at grades A* to C has more than doubled, but last summer’s results led to a slump in Bradford’s standing nationally as other local education authorities produced even better figures.

Bradford fell seven places to 144th out of 151 local authorities for its GCSE results and slipped 12 places to 122nd out of 149 local authorities for its A-level results.

The gap has also widened between pupils nationally and those in Bradford achieving the Government’s benchmark of five good GCSE grades including in English and maths. Some 44.4 per cent in Bradford hit the target, up 2.8 per cent, against a 3.6 per cent rise nationally to 53.4 per cent.

Denise Faulconbridge, managing director of Education Bradford, the private firm in its final year of a ten-year contract with Bradford Council to provide support services to the district’s schools, pointed to continuing improvements by the district’s pupils.

She said: “Following substantial improvement last year, it’s very pleasing to see continued improvement at GCSE. At five A* to C grades, we are once again above the national improvement rate, having improved by over eight per cent compared to the five per cent improvement nationally.

“I would wish to congratulate all the students, school staff, governors and parents who have played their part in bringing about this significant improvement.”

Asked why the improved showing had not moved Bradford up the league tables, she said: “Over a period of time, the important thing to recognise is the substantial rate of progress made by Bradford students which we should be celebrating.”

She said 71.9 per cent of pupils achieved five good grades compared with 34.3 per cent in 2001 at the start of the Education Bradford contract, while pupils gaining benchmark grades had risen by almost 12 per cent since the measure was introduced in 2005.

Councillor Ralph Berry, the Council’s executive member for education and children’s services, also praised the improvements.

He said: “This is great news for Bradford and reflects the efforts and dedication of all those working to improve opportunities for young people here.”

Many schools were also delighted with the analysis of their results .

Appleton Academy, in Wyke, achieved the district’s most improved GCSE results. The proportion of pupils gaining benchmark grades leapt up by 20 per cent to 47 per cent.

Principal, Dwayne Saxton, said: “We have come a long way and have made significant improvements on the predecessor school (Wyke Manor).We have developed a very aspirational culture and high expectations.”

The Girls’ Grammar School, Bradford, was the district’s top performing school at both GCSE and A-level.

Kathryn Matthews, the school’s headmistress, said: “We are firm believers that girls respond to a rigorous curriculum in a single sex environment where they don’t have the limitations of gender stereotyping and the social distraction of boys.”

Tong High School was named among the country’s 200 most improved schools in the last three years for pupils gaining benchmark GCSE grades, but it was also in the bottom 200 for its A-level results.

Steve Curran, who became head teacher at Tong in September, said: “The school has come a long way in two years and it’s a great time for me to come in. Not everything is perfect and it’s a chance to set our sights high.”

Dixons City Academy was the district’s best performing state school at GCSE, with 79 per cent of pupils gaining benchmark grades.

Feversham College, Undercliffe, was among the country’s top 100 schools for pupils’ progress between the ages of 11 and 16. Head teacher Clare Skelding said: “We’re ecstatic. Over the last year we have looked at the deployment of staff more creatively and at intervening when a pupil struggles. That one-on-one coaching has become more sophisticated.”

Bingley Grammar School is the district’s highest achieving state school at A-level and is listed in the top 200 schools nationally.

Julia Wright, who is in her first year as head teacher, said: “I’m absolutely delighted. The bar has been set. It’s the icing on the cake for Bingley because we had record GCSE results this year.”

Richard Hughes, head teacher of Buttershaw Business & Enterprise College, responded to the school being listed in the country’s bottom 200 for both its GCSE and A-level results.

He said: “We recognise that the school needs to continue to improve and we’re both determined and expecting this will happen.”