Students improve in GCSE results

Bristol school students have improved in their General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) results.

Provisional results for GCSEs have shown an improvement of 3.5%, including mathematics and English, compared to the last academic year.

Government figures released in June reported secondary schools in Bristol had the highest proportion of schools needing improvement across England.

Almost two out of three schools were below the required GCSE exam threshold.

'Right direction'

Schools Secretary Ed Balls launched a national drive to improve results in more than 600 of England's lowest-performing schools.

The National Challenge, which began in June, requires every secondary school to reach the benchmark of 30% of pupils achieving five good GCSEs, including English and maths, within three years.

Almost one in five secondary schools in England was given a "no excuses" warning to improve their GCSE exam results or face closure.

Bristol city councillor Helen Holland says the "results across Bristol are a step in the right direction".

The council says more than £250m has been invested to renew secondary school buildings and resources across the city over the past five years.