The proportion of pupils in Tower Hamlets achieving five A*-C grades in their GCSE is now more than two per cent higher than the national average.

Figures released by the Department for Education last week show that in 2012 61.8 per cent of those entered to sit the exams hit the target, compared to 59.4 per cent nationally.

The statistics follow provisional ones published when pupils opened up their results in August, and also include rankings of the best and worst performing schools in Tower Hamlets.

Of the borough’s schools with 100 or more pupils eligible to sit the exams, Church of England school Sir John Cass Foundation and Redcoat Church of England Secondary in Stepney achieved the best results – with 165 out of 188 pupils achieving five A*-Cs.

Other high performing institutions included Mulberry School for Girls in Shadwell, where 148 out of 200 pupils reached the threshold, and Bethnal Green Technology College where 93 out of 131 pupils hit their target.

Mayor of Tower Hamlets Lutfur Rahman said: “Once again, our pupils have done us proud by beating the national average for GCSE attainment.

“Year on year, the hard work of pupils, teaching staff and parents is paying off as the results just get better and better.”

In 2004/5, just 34 per cent of pupils were hitting the target of five A*-Cs, compared to nearly 62 per cent this year. The improvements come despite Tower Hamlets’ continued status as the local authority with the highest levels of child poverty in the country.