SCHOOLS have seen achievement in GCSE results dip, with less students reach five A*to C grades including English and maths than last year.

Harwich and Dovercourt High School saw the number of students achieving the benchmark fall from 56 per cent to 41 per cent.

Headteacher Rob Garrett plans to send a number of examination papers back for remarking and hopes the results will improve.

He said: As a school community we are disappointed by some of the headline figures.

“Over the last few years there has been a gradual improvement in these key indicators.

“There appears to be a large number of schools nationwide who have experienced unexpected drops in key subject areas.

“We will also be submitting a large number of examination papers for remarking."

Manningtree High School saw 64 per cent of students achieve five or more grades between A* and C, including English and maths, down just four per cent from their record breaking results last year.

More than 99 per cent of the pupils received at least one GCSE qualification, with 77 per cent achieving between an A* and C in Maths, 87 per cent two A* to C grades in science and 74 per cent coming out with an A* to C in English.