State schools in Croydon have gained some of the best A-level and GCSE results in the country.

Two surveys carried out by national newspaper The Times ranked borough schools among the top in the country.

John Fisher in Purley came 342nd in a list of 450 schools in the country with the best A-level results.

It was followed in 408th place by Archbishop Tenison's Church of England School in Selbourne Road, Croydon.

The table was based on the average point score per student, with an A grade rated at 120 points, B grade 100 points, and a C 80 points.

John Fisher's pupils earned an average point score of 258.3, while at Archbishop Tenison's the average was 234.

Six Croydon schools featured in the top 600 in the GCSE table. Coloma Convent Girls' in Shirley, was rated 154th based on this year's exam results.

Edenham High, Shirley, came in at 569th placed, followed by nearby Shirley High at 572nd. Thomas More Catholic came 581st, and Virgo Fidelis Convent Senior in Upper Norwood earned 587th place.

Graham Harker, headteacher of Shirley High, said he was delighted to see the school in the list.

Mr Harker, who has been headteacher at the Church Road school for almost 15 years, said: "We are pleased. We've seen the percentage of pupils getting five A* to C grades at GCSE rise to 65 per cent.

"That's the 11th year it's risen.

"Over the past few years we had a great improvement."

Paying tribute to his hardworking staff, supportive parents and pupils he said the school had previously been rated in the top 100 most improved schools, and he hoped to see that improvement continue.

He added: "You can't rest on your laurels."

In lists of the country's 600 best independent schools at GCSE, Whitgift, Old Palace, Trinity, Croydon High, Croham Hirst, Royal Russell and the Lodge in Purley all starred.