Data from the government shows that teachers and children have managed to narrow the educational gap between the least and most deprived communities over the past decade.

According to the figures, the percentage of children leaving school with good grades in the most deprived areas has improved over the last ten years by 19.9 points compared with 13.2 in the least deprived areas.

This is an indication that the achievement gap is narrowing between these two communities, which is very encouraging, according to schools minister Ed Balls.

"Children who have faced the most challenging circumstances over the past decade have not been cast adrift and left at the bottom but have actually seen a more rapid improvement in results than those in the least deprived areas," he said.

"Increasing support for children and families – not cutting investment in vital services – is the best way of improving social mobility."

In the last decade, all but one of the most deprived local authorities have seen an above average increase in their attainment.