HALF of city students did not reach the expected level in their GCSE results this summer, according to figures from the Department for Education.
The statistics, released yesterday, showed that only 49.1 per cent of 16-year-olds picked up at least five A* to C grades including English and maths, which is regarded as the benchmark.
It means the city is 143rd out of 152 authorities in the country .
Meanwhile, for the first time, schools in the county bettered the national average, with 60.3 per cent of students reaching the benchmark, leaving it 53rd of 152 local education authorities.
Councillor David Mellen, portfolio holder for children's services at Nottingham City Council, was pleased with the improved results, up from 46.7 per cent last year, but admitted more needs to be done.
He said: "We are very happy with what has been happening in schools. Teachers have been working very hard, as have students with the support of parents."
Mr Mellen said levels of deprivation contributed to the city languishing among the worst-performing authorities.
"It does have a big effect, but we are not sitting back and using it as an excuse," he said. "We get reports from teachers that children are coming into school with no breakfast. And benefit cuts could make it even harder. It is bound to impact on children's education."
The improving performances have come at a time when many schools have transformed into academies, and are no longer under local authority control.
Mr Mellen added: "We work closely with academies. They are doing very well."
The figures are provisional and will be updated in January, when changes in grades following appeals will be taken into account.
Marks for individual schools were not published yesterday, though the schools themselves already know. Top Valley School celebrated its best-ever results, with 57 per cent of students reaching the benchmark.
Assistant head teacher Lee Morgan said: "We are overjoyed with the results."
The city was also near the bottom of the A-level results table, though yesterday's figures didn't include results from academies and colleges, many of which had top marks.
Of the 438 students whose results were taken into account, the average point score was 660.8. The overall average score last year - including academies and colleges - was 746.1.
Points scores are based on the number of each grade, such as A, B, C, D , or E, pupils obtain.
For schools under Notts County Council's control the average A-level point score was 750.4, leaving the authority 81st nationally.
Councillor Philip Owen, committee chairman for children and young people's services at the county council, said: "This is all down to the hard work that has gone off over the last few years."
He said targeting under-performing schools by linking them with more successful counterparts had worked.
For example, the previously struggling Meden School in Mansfield, has been working with Toot Hill School in Bingham, and has seen results improve.
Mr Owen said: "We have targeted schools, for example those in the Bassetlaw and Mansfield areas, and attempted to drive up performances. These results justify that work."
A similar approach has proved successful in London.
Analysis by the Financial Times newspaper earlier this year, suggested London pupils did better in five GCSEs, including maths and English, than those from other regions.
The gap between the performance of pupils from rich and poor backgrounds also narrowed. This success was put down to good leadership in schools, high-quality teaching, the success of academies and partnerships, where strong schools support weaker ones.
A Department for Education spokesman said top-performing schools helping their struggling counterparts was a good way of raising standards.
Dr Peter Gates, of the University of Nottingham's School for Education, emphasised the importance of leadership in schools. He said: "If you have a school which hasn't got good management or leadership, then this could work. I can't see how it can work in any other way."
