HUNDREDS of secondary schools across the county have met the Government's target for pupil progress at GCSEs.

Statistics show that most of Sussex's mainstream secondary state schools are above a new Government target that measures pupil's over eight GCSE subjects.

Brighton and Hove (0.02) , West Sussex (0.1) and East Sussex (0.04) were all above the national average (-0.03.

The good performance figures follow a county-wide increase in percentage average of students achieving five good GCSEs A*-C. Brighton and Hove (61 per cent), West Sussex (61 per cent) and East Sussex (60) all beat the national average for percentage of students achieving five good GCSEs A*-C last academic year.

It comes as ministers introduced the new headline measure, which looks at progress , instead of judging schools on the proportion of pupils scoring at least five C grades at GCSE, including in English and maths.

The new Progress 8 measure follows a pupil's progress from the end of primary school to the end of secondary school. It compares pupils' results with the achievements of other youngsters with the same prior attainment and measures performance across eight GCSE qualifications.

The Government has argued that this measure is fairer because it takes students' previous achievement into account, and recognises the results of all youngsters A* to G, not just those on the border of C and D grades.

Schools Minister Nick Gibb said that the figures, based on last summer's GCSE results, showed that the hard work of teachers and pupils is leading to higher standards.

The new league tables have won praise from headteachers in charge of schools traditionally overlooked in league tables but now being recognised for the progress of their pupils. Longhill High School in Rottingdean, Brighton, is among the highest-performing state schools in Brighton and Hove for Progress 8, despite only 56 per cent of pupils achieving five GCSEs A*-C including maths and English.

Headteacher Kate Williams said: "It shows us favourably, which is right, because the pupils at Longhill progress well at Longhill. It's hard work but we have high expectations and high standards of our pupils, and that's exactly why they performed the way they did last academic year giving us the league table position we are in."

But teaching unions have criticised the league tables claiming the data is unreliable and takes up teachers' time.

Phil Clarke, national executive member for Brighton, said: "Does this really genuinely measure progress - we are not sure. The key stage two data, which is used for measuring progress, is too narrow and unreliable. So there are big question marks if the data being used to measure progress is accurate in the first place.

"These league tables lead to teachers spending too much time processing data rather than concentrating on teaching and learning which is paramount."

All schools in Brighton and Hove met the Government's floor target for Progress 8.

Brighton and Hove City Council’s lead member for schools, councillor Dan Chapman, said: “We’re delighted that the finalised GCSE results for Brighton and Hove 2016 confirm us as being above the national state-funded average for both Progress 8.

“More than 80% of our secondary schools are rated ‘good’ by Ofsted – a figure that is also above the national average.

“With our schools now working together more closely than ever before to share best practice and deliver a good education, I fully expect to see further improvements in academic standards in the coming years.”

Nationally the picture was more bleak almost 300 secondary schools not reaching the Government floor target for progress.