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HUNDREDS of teenagers across Hampshire are failing to master basic reading, writing and maths skills, according to GCSE league tables published today.

Fewer than four in ten pupils leave Southampton's state secondary schools with five top GCSE passes including English and maths.

The picture is marginally better in Hampshire's schools with just over half of school leavers who sat their exams last summer gaining five or more A* to C grades including maths and English.

But there is some good news. For instance Redbridge Community School in Southampton made it into the top 100 schools in the country for improvement.

Business leaders in the south accused schools of neglecting basic literacy and numeracy skills for too long.

Malcolm Hyde, CBI south east regional director, said: "For the UK to compete on a world stage it is essential that businesses have access to a skilled workforce.

"If we fail to train our school children, who are the workforce of tomorrow, we will fail as a nation. The local results will be of concern for local businesses who too often find themselves having to correct the problem."

In Southampton 36.2 per cent of pupils gained at least five C grades in subjects, including GCSEs in English and maths, while in Hampshire the figure was 50.2 per cent.

The results mean that the city's pupils find themselves once again lagging behind the national average which saw 45.8 per cent of teenagers getting a least five C grades, including maths and English.

It's the first time that schools have been judged on the proportion of pupils scoring at least five C grades in subjects including maths and English.

Four Southampton schools, Millbrook Community School, Chamberlayne Park School, Oaklands Community School and Woodlands Community College were all among the country's bottom 200 schools for the proportion of pupils gaining five or more GCSEs including English and maths.

Millbrook headteacher Tony Cotton said he was "delighted" with the progress that pupils at the school had made across the curriculum, but that maths and English results needed to be monitored closely to ensure students left with passes in both subjects.

Chris Kelly, the new head teacher at Chamberlayne Park, said the school had undergone " a difficult time" but was now moving forward.

She said: "We have got a lot of work to do. We must be focused and make sure our young people are equipped for the world of work."

Oaklands headteacher Sarah Howells said she was very pleased that last summer's year 11 students achieved a big improvement in the school's GCSE results.

She added that work was being carried out to improve pupils' grades in maths that she said would rapidly improve the school's results.

At Woodlands Community College, headteacher Richard Martin said: "The results look modest but the progress pupils made was described by Ofsted inspectors as superb. "The big challenge for our pupils is in literacy."

The city's Cantell School and Oaklands Community School as well as the Quilley School of Engineering in Eastleigh were all among the worst 200 schools in the country for their truancy records measured by the percentage of half-days missed.

Ruth Johnson, head teacher of Cantell School which was ranked 77th worst said attendance rates were improving at the school thanks to regular corridor patrols and the work of the school's attendance officer.

She said the school was recognised by Ofsted inspectors as "doing everything it can" to improve attendance rates and had "robust systems" in place to stop pupils skipping lessons.

Bellemoor School in Shirley was ranked as the 60th worst school in the country for its contextual value added' score - an indicator that charts the progress pupils make from the age of 11 until their GCSEs.

It also takes into account other factors such as pupils' gender, pupil mobility and levels of deprivation in the school's catchment area.

At the other end of the spectrum, Redbridge Community School in Southampton made it into the top 100 schools in the country for having one of the highest value added scores.

The school was ranked the 60th most effective school nationwide in ensuring pupils fulfilled their potential and made maximum progress from the ages of 11 to 16.

Head teacher Richard Schofield said: "The continuing success at Redbridge is based on our belief that students rise to the level expected of them. That includes their standard of behaviour as well as their academic performance. Motivation is the key factor in learning."

At A-level Hampshire's sixth forms and colleges gave the county a national ranking of 15, while Southampton came 128 based on the average A level points score per candidate.

St Swithun's School in Winchester was ranked 16th best school/college in the country for A levels.

The private school's headmistress Dr Helen Harvey said: "We are very proud of the achievements."

Winchester College and Peter Symonds College in Winchester also made it into the top 200 schools and colleges for A level.

Peter Symonds College Principal Neil Hopkins said: "We are pleased to be high up on the table and it's all down to the students and staff."

Hampshire's education boss Councillor David Kirk said: "Hampshire County Council is committed not only to raising standards and improving results year on year but also to ensuring all pupils enjoy their learning experiences at school and are able to fulfil their potential by progressing into further education, employment or training."

Clive Webster, Southampton's executive director for children's services and learning, said: "By achieving the city's best ever results, they have demonstrated the steady progress our schools are making to bring results in-line with the national average."