GCSE results have plummeted in Dorset with controversial results in English being blamed.

Just 53.6 per cent of students in the county council area achieved the benchmark of five A*-C grades, including English and maths, this summer compared with an average in England of 58.6 per cent.

But fortunes were different in Bournemouth where a record 60.3 per cent made the grade with a figure of 58.4 per cent recorded for Poole.

Figures released by the Department for Education compare local authorities across the country. A school-by-school comparison table will be published in the New Year.

There was fury across the country in August when thousands of students discovered they had lower than anticipated grades in English due to unexpected changes in the way papers were marked.

Schools in many areas said their students had been adversely affected but some areas appear to have been hit harder than others.

Many Dorset schools have refused to reveal their results as they campaign for papers to be re-marked.

In Bournemouth, executive headteacher of Avonbourne and Harewood Colleges, Debbie Godfrey-Phaure, said results could have been even better if grade boundaries had not been changed in English.

“The figure would have been even higher” she said.

“We were expecting 84 per cent to get C or above in English and the figure fell to 65.”

It was a similar story at Dorset comprehensive Twynham where 66 per cent got a C or above in English – the school usually expects the figure to be between 75 and 80.

Headteacher Dr Terry Fish said: “The goalposts weren’t just moved, they were put on another planet.”

He said results were lower for exam entries in June than for those entered at different points in the year.

“The same result in January would have got a higher grade than in June” he said. “It’s ridiculous and I would not like to draw any comparisons between schools or local authorities based on this summer’s results.”

Nationally the numbers gaining the benchmark standard fell for the first time.

Figures for the English Baccalaureate were also revealed with 18.1 per cent in England, 20.8 in Bournemouth, 20.7 in Poole and 19.2 in Dorset. Students are awarded the EBacc if they score C or higher in English, maths, science, history or geography and a language.

Dorset County Council’s acting head for children’s services Jackie Last said: “Naturally we are concerned at the unexpected drop in our results, but do not believe this is indicative of a drop in standards in our schools.

“We are disappointed that the hard work of our school staff and pupils is not reflected in the results.

“Our own tracking system suggests that the number of people achieving the required levels is at least nine per cent below where we expected them to be had the grade boundaries not been changed this summer.”

The borough of Poole’s Cabinet portfolio holder for children and young people Cllr Janet Walton said: “We are very pleased that the GCSE results gained by our young people this summer have risen yet again.

“These are our highest results yet and show that standards continue to rise in Poole. These results represent many years of hard work by the students, supported by their parents and carers.”

Bournemouth council’s strategy leader for children and young people Peter Mcnutt said: “We are immensely proud of the achievements of all the young people.”

“For the last seven years we have seen a rise in the percentage of students getting five good GCSEs, including in English and Maths. Despite the national controversy over English results students in Bournemouth have achieved the highest ever results in both.”