Ministers expect all schools to have at least 30 per cent of students achieving the benchmark within four years or face closure.

There were 638 schools across the country, including 82 in Yorkshire, which failed to meet the target for five A* to C passes, including English and maths, last year. The schools have been targeted in the Government's National Challenge initiative which gave them just 50 days to develop plans showing how they intended to transform standards by 2011 or face being replaced with an academy or trust school.

The list of schools failing to hit the target included four of the six academies in Yorkshire which returned exam results last year.

However, staff and students at David Young Community Academy in Seacroft, Leeds, were celebrating today after improved results helped it pass the benchmark, with 33 per cent of pupils getting five good grades including English and maths. The academy, which is sponsored by the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds, saw 70 per cent of its pupils achieve five A* to C grades this morning. Schools on the Government's National Challenge list will remain there even if they reach the benchmark with today's results.

Schools Minister Lord Adonis urged young people to remain in education regardless of their GCSE grades. He said options available to young people include school sixth forms, further education college or an apprenticeship and work-based training.