The publication of GCSE results has revealed a growing chasm between the academic achievements of pupils at Brighton and Hove's best and worst schools.

There were jubilant scenes at many schools which recorded their best results yesterday. But it was a different story at others.

Staff at Falmer School in Lewes Road refused to confirm its results, which have reportedly plummeted from 31 per cent to just 19 per cent obtaining the benchmark five A* to C grades.

Across the city the overall result bucked the national trend, with 48.2 per cent of students achieving five or more A* to C grades compared to 45.6 per cent last year.

National averages show the number of pupils reaching the benchmark pass rose by just two per cent to 58.1 per cent.

Some students at the beleaguered East Brighton College of Media Arts did not bother to turn up as results revealed just 13 per cent of pupils walked away with five or more C grades and above, down four per cent on last year.

The slump in pass rates highlights the growing gap between the city's worst and best schools and the lack of any real success in attempts to stop the decline.

It could be the final nail in the coffin for the media college, which is threatened with closure and will find out later this year whether it is to shut its doors for good.

Chairman of governors Derek Bown put the drop down to the disruption caused by building work on the site throughout the year rather than news of the school's uncertain future.

He said: "At 13 per cent it is disappointing, if that is the final result, although it is provisional.

"However, there have been some real successes in the sense that most of our children come to us with very low levels of attainment and for many of them, getting a reasonable result at GCSE is a substantial achievement."

Other schools also recorded a drop in results, although they had success in particular subjects.

Tim Barclay, headteacher at Hove Park, was disappointed in a drop in the number leaving with five or more GCSEs at grade C and above but the number of pupils leaving with at least one exam under their belt increased from 95 per cent to 98 per cent.

There was also a drop at Patcham High from 35 per cent to 31 per cent.

But other schools saw their results jump up the table to record their best performances to date.

Cardinal Newman Catholic School recorded its best result, leaping to 65 per cent, and Blatchington Mill in Hove jumped from 49 per cent to 62 per cent.

Headteacher Neil Hunter said: "We are so proud of youngsters - they are the best results we have had.

"Almost one in five students gained either an A* or A and we have managed to buck the national trend - our maths and science results are up, not down."

Dorothy Stringer, Varndean and Longhill High School did equally well, with increases of six per cent, one per cent and three per cent respectively.

Two pupils at Dorothy Stringer also received two of the five highest marks in the country for English literature.

All four independent schools also recorded excellent results with near 100 per cent pass rates.

While national grades slipped overall, schools in West Sussex triumphed with a host of record results.

At Imberhorne School, East Grinstead, 73 per cent of pupils gained five or more passes at A* to C and 22 per cent of all grades were A or A*.

Oathall Community College, in Haywards Heath, recorded its best score with 75 per cent of students notching up five or more A* to C grades.

At Oakmeeds Community College in Burgess Hill, Victoria Riddleston, Katy Swingland and Mark Reynolds pushed up the pass rate with a string of A*s.

Fifty-two per cent of pupils at the school gained five or more subjects at A* to C and 25 pupils got an A or A* in five or more subjects.

Another record was crushed at Christ's Hospital in Horsham, where 98.4 per cent of students achieved five or more passes at A* to C.

Sixty-four per cent of candidates scooped A* and A grades, up from 48 per cent last year.

For St Paul's Roman Catholic College in Haywards Heath, it was business as usual as students clocked up a 71 per cent A* to C pass rate, the same score as last year.

At the Littlehampton Community School, the number of students gaining five or more grades from A to C was up by four per cent on last year to 41 per cent.

The late arrival of some results meant not all students at Durrington High School received their results yesterday and would have a nail-biting wait until today.

At Chatsmore Catholic High School in Worthing, a total of 55 per cent of students gained at least five grades at A* to C and 99 per cent gained at least one GCSE.

Staff and pupils at Steyning Grammar School celebrated as results showed an improvement on last year.

A total of 60 per cent gained five or more subjects at grade C or higher.

There were more A and B grades than ever before for pupils at St Andrew's High School for Boys' in Worthing.

More than half the pupils achieved at least five A* to C grades, as did students at The Angmering School.

In East Sussex, students achieved their best GCSE results, with the number gaining five or more A* to C grades up one per cent to 52 per cent.

Success stories included all-boys William Parker School in Hastings, which improved from 33 per cent to 55 per cent.

Passes at the Priory School in Lewes rose from 66 per cent to 75 per cent, while Eastbourne's Causeway School saw its first ever GCSE year post a 40 per cent success rate.

Passes at St Richard's Catholic College in Bexhill increased from 74 per cent to 82 per cent, while Bexhill High School's rose from 51 per cent to 57 per cent.

Friday August 22, 2003