SCHOOLS in the Bristol area are continuing to improve their GCSE results – but a handful remain among the lowest performing in England.

Three city secondaries – Oasis Academy Brightstowe, Merchants' Academy, and City Academy – were below the Government's minimum standard in last summer's exams, as were Kingsfield School in Kingswood and Wyvern School in Weston-super-Mare.

The Department for Education yesterday published extensive information about all schools in the country.

This year, for the first time, it included details of how well children from different backgrounds achieved.

Parents can find out all about their child's school and neigh- bouring schools on the website http://www.education.gov.uk/ schools/performance-tables-2011.

Schools Minister Nick Gibb said the results showed that many secondaries were failing their poorest pupils.

"We should have high expectations for all children, regardless of their circumstances," he said. "These figures reveal a shocking waste of talent in many schools across the country."

But teaching unions said league tables, by their very nature, would put some schools at the top and some at the bottom.

Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: "The social inequalities with which children start school widen as they progress through their education.

"Instead of focusing on changing school structures and on the pointless naming and shaming of schools, the Government should be ensuring that all schools have the resources and support they need for all pupils to reach their full potential."

Some Bristol schools showed impressive improvements in spite of being in socially deprived areas and even those that are below the 35 per cent so-called "floor target" for the proportion gaining five or more A*-C GCSEs, including English and maths, have seen results go up.

Oasis Academy John Williams, in Hengrove, which has 34 per cent of students on free school meals, achieved 40 per cent on this measure, up from 29 per cent a year ago.

Principal Rebecca Clark said: "Year on year, we have seen a step change in our results and I am confident we will continue to build on this success.

"We believe in ensuring all our students realise their full potential and achieve their personal best. Our aspirations for them are high and, together with a relentless focus on delivering quality teaching and learning, this is bringing about success."

Bristol Metropolitan Academy in Fishponds, which was the most improved school in the country in 2010, saw results rise even further in 2011.

Principal Steve Taylor said: "It is a very impressive and positive picture.

"We are particularly pleased with our high value-added score, which shows that compared with their peers across the country, children in our academy are doing much better."

Henbury School is among the 200 most improved schools in England, having seen results rise every year since 2005.