Latest attainment figures have revealed most secondary schools in Braintree and Witham are below average.

The provisional Progress 8 results were released on October 12 by the Government and includes data for the new maths and English GCSE exam results, graded from 9 to 1.

The figures aim to measure the achievements of schools and pupils.

Maltings Academy, in Witham, was rated as below average with 39 per cent of pupils achieving a Grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

The school, along with New Rickstones Academy, had refused to release its GCSE results to the Times because of changes to the grading system.

Head of academy Emma Baker said: “As head of academy I am pleased with our results and the hard work from the students and staff.

“The 2017 summer exam season saw students sitting the new Grade 9 to 1 GCSEs for the first time in maths and English.

“Staff worked incredibly hard to prepare students for examinations that no one had sat or seen. Our English and Maths results are on or above national average again.”

“As an Academy we have given our students and parents the option to choose the curriculum pathway that is most suitable to them, so this is why our result is two per cent as only two per cent of students opted to follow the EBAC route.”

New Rickstones Academy, also part of the Academies Enterprise Trust, had the worst figure overall for the number of students passing with Grade 5 or above at GCSE English and maths with just 16 per cent.

A total of 94 per cent of students at the school will be staying in education or entering employment after key stage 4.

The school declined to comment on the latest figures.

Alec Hunter Academy was rated below average, but performed better than other Braintree schools, including Notley High and Tabor Academy.

It achieved an overall score of -0.18, meaning pupils in the school made less progress than other pupils across the area.

However, 37 of pupils at the school achieved a Grade 5 or above in English and maths.

Headteacher Trevor Lawn declined to comment.