SCHOOLS in Waltham Forest have achieved the best results in east London according to this year's league tables.

Figures released today cover the 2006/07 academic year and reveal that this borough did better than any neighbouring authority according to the Govern-ment's "contextual value added" (CVA) calculation.

CVA awards points according to factors such as overall performance, pupils' improvement while at school, and social factors.

It is designed to give credit to schools whose achievements are not reflected in straightforward GCSE results.

The target is for each school to score at least 1,000 under CVA.

In Waltham Forest, the average score was 1017.9, ahead of Redbridge, which scored 1014.1, and Newham, with 1011.6.

Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Havering and Barking and Dagenham also trailed Waltham Forest's score.

Kelmscott School had the borough's best CVA score with 1048.7. Other high achievers included Walth-amstow School for Girls, Willowfield School and Warwick School for Boys.

The only school in the borough that failed to meet the Government target was Norlington School, with 995.1 CVA points.

The borough's top school for GCSE results was Walthamstow School for Girls, where 63 per cent of pupils achieved five A*-C grades, including English and maths.

With 56 per cent, Holy Family Catholic College had the best results of any co-educational school.

The tables also include truancy data, and show that Walthamstow Academy has a rate three times the national aggregate.

The Lammas School and George Mitchell School also have comparatively high levels of unauthorised absence, while Connaught School and Highams Park School perform significantly better than average.

Cllr Chris Robbins, cabinet member for children and young people said the results were a demonstration of the council's dedication to Waltham Forest's young people.

He said: "In the past year, we have announced a £250million investment in our education facilities, introduced healthy living programmes throughout schools and involved young people in more and more decision making processes through various forums, panels and events.

"Children Services and EduAction have worked hard to encourage and aid the aspirations of young people and these tables demonstrate that these efforts are coming to fruition."

RUSH CROFT School was recognised as the most imp-roved in Waltham Forest at a celebration last night.

Charlotte Burton and Georgie Harding, who took their GCSEs at Rush Croft, in Rushcroft Road, Chingford, last summer, represented the school at a Very Important Pupil event held at Leicester Square's Odeon West End cinema.

London Schools Minister, Andrew Adonis, attended the celebration, which was staged by the Government's Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Pupils and teachers from schools across the capital were given awards and were treated to a showing of this season's fantasy blockbuster, The Golden Compass.

This year, 43 per cent of GCSE pupils at Rush Croft School achieved five A*-C grades including English and maths, a significant im-provement on the previous year's figure of 29 per cent.

Charlotte and Georgie gained 21 GCSEs graded A*-C between them, and have now gone on to study A-levels at Chingford Foundation School sixth form.