TEACHERS, parents and pupils can check how their secondary school or college fares against others in the area, and the country, after the publication of the annual GCSE and A level league tables.

Figures can now be viewed online at the Department for Education's website.

The national trend of steady year-on-year improvement in the number of pupils achieving the key benchmark of five GCSEs at grades A* to C including English and maths was not repeated across East Surrey.

Lingfield Notre Dame is one of only seven Surrey schools to show a clean sweep of 100 per cent of pupils reaching the target.

The way the data was recorded in 2010 meant that not all schools' results for that year are available, but of those that are the only East Surrey schools to show a better score in 2011 are Lingfield Notre Dame (up from 99 per cent achieving five A*s to Cs including English and Maths), Warlingham School (up from 63 per cent to 67), Oakwood School in Horley (50 to 54) and The Warwick School, Redhill (up from 43 to 48 per cent).

Warlingham head teacher Alison Woodhouse said: "We have had strong results over a number of years but we always know there are areas we can improve, like any other school."

She said of the five A* to C grades including English and maths: "That provides the opportunities for students to go on, whether to A-levels or college courses, and is the benchmark for many employers.

"But linked to that is the progress that students make. As long as they are making progress, that's important.

"The cohorts do change from one year to the next, and you have to remember you could have years when you happen to have more able students."

Both Reigate School and Oxted School recorded the same results as last year.

Schools that showed a drop in the number of students reaching the benchmark this year included St Bede's in Redhill (down from 78 to 74 per cent), The Beacon in Banstead (down from 45 to 44), the Royal Alexandra and Albert in Reigate (63 to 62), de Stafford in Caterham (53 to 50), Dunnotar Day School for Girls in Reigate (95 to 92), and Greenacre School for Girls in Banstead (91 to 90).

Reigate Grammar School head teacher David Thomas warned against relying solely on the figures in the tables.

He said: "While some of the more rigorous International GCSEs (iGCSEs) are now included in the league tables, some iGCSEs are excluded.

"In summer 2011 all 138 Reigate Grammar School students achieved at least eight or more A* to C passes, with two in every three A*s or As.

"League tables can only ever give a very limited picture of a school. My advice to parents is to visit a school, look at the extra-curricular offering as well as the academic achievements, and talk to current students and parents to gain a more robust and accurate view of any school."