Forty schools in Kent and Medway have been told they must meet the Government target of 30 per cent of pupils achieving at least five grade A to C GCSEs within three years, or face closure:

Here is the list of schools affected, and the percentage of each establishment’s pupils that met the required exam results in 2007.

Archers Court Maths and Computing College, Dover – 16 per cent

Astor College for the Arts, Dover – 23 per cent

Astor of Hever Community School, Maidstone – 23 per cent

Axton Chase School, Longfield – 25 per cent

Aylesford School Sports College, Aylesford – 16 per cent

Brockhill Performing Arts College, Saltwood near Hythe – 28 per cent

Canterbury High School – 27 per cent

Castle Community College, Deal – 23 per cent

Chapter School, Rochester – 20 per cent

The Charles Dickens School, Broadstairs – 29 per cent

Chaucer Technology College, Canterbury – 24 per cent

Christ Church High School, Ashford – 17 per cent

Greenacre School, Walderslade, Chatham – 27 per cent

Hartsdown Technology College, Margate – 15 per cent

Hereson School, Broadstairs – 20 per cent

Holmesdale Technology College, Snodland – 22 per cent

Hundred of Hoo Comprehensive School, Hoo – 22 per cent

King Ethelbert School, Birchington – 11 per cent

Leigh City Technology College, Dartford – 24 per cent

The Malling School, West Malling – 14 per cent

The Marlowe Academy, Ramsgate – 7 per cent

Medway Community College, Chatham – 16 per cent

Minster College, Sheerness – 25 per cent

New Brompton College, Gillingham – 20 per cent

The North School, Ashford - 17 per cent

Northfleet Technology College – 22 per cent

Pent Valley School, Folkestone – 24 per cent

The Robert Napier School, Gillingham – 24 per cent

St Georges Foundation School, Broadstairs – 18 per cent

Sittingbourne Community College – 18 per cent

Swadelands School, Maidstone – 18 per cent

Swanley Technology College – 25 per cent

Swan Valley Community School, Swanscombe – 17 per cent

Temple School, Rochester – 16 per cent

Thamesview School, Gravesend – 22 per cent

The Towers School, Ashford – 26 per cent

Tunbridge Wells High School – 21 per cent

Whitstable Community College – 23 per cent

The Wildernesse School, Sevenoaks – 15 per cent

Wilmington Enterprise College, Dartford – 23 per cent