It has been a mixed year for Bradford schools after national league tables revealed a vast improvement in A-level results but a failure to improve in the GCSE rankings.

The district rose 19 places to 103rd out of 150 local authorities for average A-level points scores last year but was again ranked 144 out of 151 local authorities for its GCSE results.

A total of 47.5 per cent of pupils achieved the Government’s benchmark of at least five A* to C grades, including English and maths, up 3.1 per cent from last year.

However, the gap between the number of pupils across the country and those at Bradford schools hitting the target widened again with an average of 58.2 per cent of young people achieving the benchmark nationally – 10.7 per cent higher than in Bradford.

Appleton Academy, Bradford Academy, Challenge College, Aire Valley School, Hanson School and University Academy, Keighley, were all ranked in the bottom 200 state schools for the percentage of pupils gaining five good GCSE grades.

Councillor Ralph Berry, Bradford Council’s executive member for children and young people’s services, described the A-level results as a “big step forward” for the district but acknowledged more work needed to be done to improve GCSE grades.

He said: “Those A-level results are very important to the economic future of Bradford. It shows Bradford’s young people are capable of high achievement, it’s brought about a big shift in our position in the tables.

“Obviously there are other areas we need to make progress on. We are aware there’s much more to do. It’s a big step forward, we need to start believing much more in what we can achieve. There’s some real grounds for optimism.”

The Girls’ Grammar School, Bradford, which recently announced its intention to become a free school, was again the district’s top performing school at both GCSE and A-level and was also ranked among the country’s top 200 schools for GCSE results.

Headmistress Kathryn Matthews said: “We are delighted with the results. They are an absolutely well-deserved outcome for the girls who worked extremely hard, for their parents who supported them and, of course, for the teaching staff who work very hard.

“We have been overwhelmed by the response from the local community to our free school application and what they are telling us is they are attracted by the expectations and aspirations we have for the pupils who come here.”

The Girls’ Grammar School, along with Bradford Grammar School, was also among the country’s top 200 schools for the numbers of students achieving the English Baccalaureate, for which pupils must gain at least a C grade at GCSE in English, maths, science, a humanities subject and a foreign language.

Bradford Grammar achieved the district’s second best A-level results followed by Dixons City Academy, which was also Bradford’s best performing state school at GCSE, with 80 per cent of pupils gaining benchmark grades.

Shirley Watson, the academy’s principal, said: “We are extremely proud of our students’ performance. This is down to the hard work and commitment of students and staff and the support of so many parents and carers.”

Dixons Allerton Academy and Belle Vue Boys’ School achieved the district’s most improved GCSE results. The proportion of pupils gaining benchmark grades leapt by 16 per cent at both schools.

Mukesh Nar, deputy head teacher at Belle Vue Boys, said: “We are very pleased. They are the best results in our recent history and they have been borne out by lots of hard work over a consistent period by the boys and our teachers. It’s particularly encouraging for us because the example those year 11 boys set last year is helping to lead our current GCSE students down that road to success.”

Rachel Kidd, principal at Dixons Allerton Academy, said: “2010–11 was a very successful year for Dixons Allerton Academy. We were extremely proud of our A-level and GCSE results. We worked hard in the academy’s first year to build our family ethos and belief in aiming high and working hard. We built a strong foundation and last year we saw the fruits of our labour.

“I am very proud of the staff and the students, and of how far we have come. We all appreciate and value the continued support and encouragement of the parents, governors and our sponsor, Dixons City Academy, and we are determined to sustain and build on the improvements we have made.”

Feversham College, Undercliffe, was among the top 100 schools ranked on the amount of progress made by pupils between the ages of 11 to 16. Deputy head Rehana Shafquat said: “We are very pleased but not surprised as all the staff, students and everybody connected with the college works very hard to do the best they can for the young people here. We look at each and every individual child and their progress. We try to make sure everybody makes the expected progress and more.”

St Mary’s School in Menston, Dixons City Academy and Ilkley Grammar were all among the top 200 state schools for A-level results.

Tong High School was again named among the country’s 200 most-improved schools after the proportion of pupils gaining five GCSEs improved consecutively over the last four years but was also among the bottom 200 state schools for A-level results.

University Academy Keighley, Bradford College and Belle Vue Boys were also ranked among the worst-performing schools and colleges for A-levels.

Neighbouring authority North Yorkshire was ranked 25th for A-level results with Calderdale and Kirklees ranked 60th and 62nd respectively. At GCSE, North Yorkshire came 26th with Calderdale 61st and Kirklees 63rd.

Heckmondwide Grammar School was ranked as the 12th best state school for A-level results and was the 7th highest of all types of schools for GCSE results.

Skipton Girls’ High School was the fifth best state school for benchmark GCSE results and was among the top 200 state schools for the number of pupils achieving the English Baccalaureate. Ermysted’s Grammar School in Skipton was also among the top 200 state schools for pupils gaining five good GCSE grades.