IN the past four years a Loughton secondary school has improved more than virtually any other in Britain to leap up the school league tables.

Debden Park High School has been rated the third most improved school in the country by the Department of Education in its latest set of results.

The proportion of pupils achieving five grade A* to Cs in their GCSEs nearly tripled over the period, from 23 per cent to 63 per cent.

Headteacher Christian Cavanagh said: "I am immensely proud. This is a testament to all of the hard work and effort of the staff and pupils. It is not just a one-off. These tables make clear that our pass rates have risen year on year.

"Before the results came out we did not have a clue we would do so well. We knew we were improving but did not know the news would be that good.

"In the future we aim to continue living by the school's motto: 'Become all you can be.’”

But the Willingale Road school faces a daunting new challenge after Education Secretary Michael Gove said that the English baccalaureate of core GCSE subjects provided a better test of abilities.

In those five subjects - English, maths, a science, a foreign language and either history or geography - the school mustered a pass rate of just five per cent attaining the required pass at grade C or above, against Mr Gove's target of 35 per cent.

Mr Cavanagh said: "The baccalaurreate is a retrospective target set by Mr Gove.

"Parents and pupils have a wide choice in the exams they take and we have performed excellently in many of those that are part of the baccalaureate.

"In the future we guarantee that more pupils will achieve this qualification."