More A Level students from Redbridge state schools are attending university than anywhere else in England, according to government figures.

The Department of Education data shows that 66 per cent of students who sat their A Levels at state schools in the borough in 2010/11 went on to university.

No other local authority in England could match that success rate, and in Greater London the figure was some way above the average of 56 per cent.

And there was extra reason for the staff at Ilford Ursuline High School in Morland Road, Ilford, to be proud as it was revealed that 84 per cent of its sixth formers moved on to higher education – one of the highest figures in the country.

Cllr Alan Weinberg, Cabinet Member for Children's Services, said: “Redbridge students outperform many their contemporaries year after year, and it’s a great accolade for our young people, their parents and the teaching staff in the Borough.

"A decent education is the cornerstone of success for the rest of our lives. For those who decide that university is the next step for them, Redbridge is giving them a seriously good head start."