St Peter's School was one of 638 schools across England who did not reach a new benchmark for GCSE results last year, missing the requirement by just two per cent.

The National Challenge, launched by the Government on Tuesday, is demanding 30 per cent of students at all schools to achieve five A* to C grades, including maths and English.

If these schools do not achieve the target within three years they face closure.

St Peters was one of three schools in Cambridgeshire not to reach the target in 2007, but headteacher Val Ford explained they are predicting students will well exceed the required percentage in the 2008 exams.

Mrs Ford explained this is an ongoing trend of improvement at the secondary school, which has already upped it's results from 26 per cent in 2006 and is in-line with other schools in the town in receiving a 'satisfactory school which is improving' Ofsted mark last year.

Mrs Ford said: "We are so proud of our achievements to date. Attendance is at the national average for the first time in many years, behaviour has improved significantly and continues to do so, we have the lowest fixed term exclusion figures in Huntingdonshire and one of the lowest persistent absenteeism figure in the county.

"Also, our results did improve last year. Parental feedback tells us that parents are both confident and supportive of the school and our student voice tells us that they are proud to be at St Peter's school. Our improvements are recognised by the local authority."

Local authorities have been ordered to come up with detailed plans to improve these schools, and in Huntingdonshire education is the responsibility of Cambridgeshire County Council.

When asked how they will achieve this, a spokesman for the county council said: "Although we recognise that St Peter's do not meet the Government's stated requirements, they have improved their results considerably over recent years and we fully expect that upward trend to continue.

"St Peters does face particular challenges and have received wide ranging support and monitoring from the county council over recent years, which will continue."

Schools Secretary Ed Balls launched the £400m drive to raise results in the lowest-performing schools and is planning to create 70 extra academies, costing £195m, across the country to spearhead the national reform.