Basildon and Thurrock schools generally achieved impressive Key Stage Four results.

Almost all schools in Basildon scored higher than expected in the tables.

The main section the Echo has concentrated on is the Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 4 contextual value added results, which guage progress between age 11, when students join the school, and when they take their GCSEs.

The crucial statistic is in the column titled value added measure - which rates pupils' average performance at Key Stage Four, aged 15 to 16, compared with what they achieved at Key Stage Two, aged seven to 11, and Key Stage Three, aged 11 to 14.

If a school scored over 1,000 points that means its pupils did better than expected at GCSE or equivalent exams, based on their past performance.

The vast majority of Basildon schools scored over 1,000. Particularly high achievers included: l Beauchamps School, in Wickford, which scored 1018 l Bromfords School, in Wickford, which scored 1015 l The Billericay School, which scored 1004 l James Hornsby School, in Laindon, which scored 1007 l Woodlands School, in Basildon, which scored 1001.

Gill Hillman, headteacher of James Hornsby High School, said: "We were very pleased with our results.

We had a big improvement and will be looking to sustain that.

"We have been in the top 100 most improved schools in the country for the past two years and it looks like we will be again this time.

"We work very closely with our pupils, providing a lot of nurture, support and extra lessons if necessary.

We take quite an innovative approach, where we even take students away on residential courses to teach them studying, motivational and confidence skills."

Alan Sims, deputy head of the Billericay School, said: "Our score is well above the average. It is down to hard work from students, hard work from teachers and good support from parents."

It was a similar story for schools in Thurrock, with a majority scoring above 1,000.

High achievers included l Ockendon School, which achieved an impressive 1056.

l Gable Hall School, in Corringham, which scored 1034 l Grays Convent High School, which scored 1023.

Schools which were not so impressive included Chafford Hundred Campus Secondary School, which scored 968, the Aveley School, which scored 988 and St Clere's School, in Stanford-le-Hope, with 993.