A GOVERNMENT deadline for improving exam results threatens to shut down six secondary schools in north Kent.

By 2011 every secondary school in England must have at least 30 per cent of its pupils achieving five A* to C grades at GCSE, including English and maths.

Those that fail to raise standards will be shut down and replaced by new schools run by a nearby successful school, along with a local university or business.

This was the ultimatum given by Secretary of State for Schools Ed Balls as he launched the National Challenge on Tuesday (June 10).

He said: "I don't want to see excuses about poor performance - I want to see clear plans to raise standards."

Last year 638 schools in England failed to reach the 30 per cent target.

This included Axton Chase, Swan Valley, Leigh Technology Academy and Wilmington Enterprise College in Dartford, as well as Thamesview and Northfleet Technology College in Gravesham.

Kent County Council (KCC), which runs the six schools, has been ordered to devise plans to improve them.

However, KCC's cabinet member for children, families and educational achievement Councillor Chris Wells said the council had already done this.

He said: "We already have detailed action plans to meet the target by 2011.

"And I am extremely confident that a significant number of the schools in Kent who currently fall within the National Challenge will meet the target when GCSE results are published this August."

He also criticised the government for naming the 638 schools, saying it made many already on their way to improvement appear to be bad schools.

Despite being one of the National Challenge schools, Leigh Technology Academy, in Green Street Green Road, Dartford, is in the top 50 in the country for the average academic progress made by pupils between joining and leaving the school.

Headteacher Frank Green said: "Overall we're a rapidly improving school.

"We're on the list because we had a bad year in maths, mainly due to a lack of available qualified maths teachers, which is a problem across the country."

The National Challenge will see £400m pumped into improving the standards of the 638 schools.