TWO of the area's schools have been named among the best in Britain for improving GCSE results.Great Yarmouth High and Cliff Park High both received most improved awards from the Specialist Schools and Academy Trust this week.

TWO of the area's schools have been named among the best in Britain for improving GCSE results.

Great Yarmouth High and Cliff Park High both received most improved awards from the Specialist Schools and Academy Trust this week.

A celebration dinner was held in London on Monday to honour all the 587 high schools and academies recognised by the trust.

Both schools had to achieved a 10pc increase in the number of students achieving five A* to C GCSEs between 2005 and 2008.

In that time the number of Great Yarmouth High students achieving the benchmark five A* to C GCSEs including English and maths has risen from 29 to 46pc.

The school was rated good with outstanding features including standards of achievement and curriculum, in its most recent Ofsted report.

Headteacher Jim Nixon said: “I put our success down to outstanding teaching and closely monitoring student progress.

“We have also really focused on the core subjects and are results for English and science are above national standards.”

“It was fantastic what the school has achieved given that we work in challenging circumstances and many of our students start with attainment levels below the national average.”

A specialist humanities college, Great Yarmouth High has recently been asked to join the Raising Achievement programme to share the secret of its success with other schools.

Cliff Park has specialist sports status and last year students achieved a best ever 64pc of 5 A* to C GCSEs, a 10pc increase on 2007.

Former chief inspector of schools Sir Mike Tomlinson was guest speaker at the celebration dinner held at the Royal College of Physicians.

Trust chief executive Elizabeth Reid said: “I would like to congratulate these specialist schools and academies for their continued success in raising GCSE results. Their efforts and achievements will mean more young people will have received good qualifications and had their opportunities widened.

“If every young person is to receive a world class education then we must set world class standards that challenge every school to improve year on year.”