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»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp secondary school show that standards are rising in sponsored academies at a record rate - and more than 5 times as quickly than in all state-funded schools.

Across all state-funded schools, the proportion of pupils who achieved at least 5 good GCSEs (including in English and maths) rose by 0.6 percentage points. In sponsored academies, the increase was 3.1 percentage points.

»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp change in the number of schools below the floor also illustrates how many heads and teachers - in all state-funded schools - are responding to the new firm but fair floor standards introduced by the government.

A school is below the floor if 40% of its pupils do not achieve at least five GCSEs at C or better including English and maths, and if pupils� progress is not good enough in both those two subjects. Last year the floor standard was 35% in attainment, alongside the progress measures.

Overall 195 secondary schools are below the floor this year, 56 fewer than last year had the floor been the same (40%).

»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýapp statistics also demonstrate how sponsored academies increasingly turn to academic subjects once they have got pupils secure in the basics of English and maths.

»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýappre was a 6 percentage point increase (to 88%) in the proportion of sponsored academies offering the EBacc - the combination of core academic subjects most valued by universities and employers.

Across all state-funded schools, 16% of pupils achieved the EBacc, up almost one percentage point.

A DfE spokesman said:

»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýappse figures are further evidence of the great success of the Academies programme in turning around our weakest schools - sponsored academies are improving their GCSE results 5 times faster than other schools.

»Ê¹ÚÌåÓýappy reveal the amazing power of academy sponsors to turn around under-performing schools - often schools which have been persistently sub-standard.

This shows we are right to continue to support the sponsored Academies programme. »Ê¹ÚÌåÓýappse brilliant sponsors have a track record of arresting decline - and then reversing it.