MONMOUTHSHIRE County Council (MCC) has branded claims it is the "least socially mobile local authority in Wales" as "inaccurate and misleading."

The fifth annual 'State of the nation' report shows Monmouthshire has the greatest difference between pupils on free school meals achieving Key Stage 4 with those not on free school meals in Wales.

A total of 28.6 per cent of pupils on free school meals achieved the target, compared to the much higher 69.9 per cent not eligible.

The difference of 41.3 per cent is the biggest difference, ahead of Pembrokeshire which has the second highest at 40.7 per cent.

However, MCC say the report as a whole shows Monmouthshire is the third best council in Wales for social mobility.

Cllr Dimitri Batrouni, leader of the Labour group at MCC, said the council is "the least socially mobile local authority in Wales."

He said: "Its poorest students are nearly 50 per cent less likely to get good GSCEs compared to their better off classmates."

He added: "Every child in Monmouthshire should be encouraged to reach their full potential, regardless of income or family background."

However cllr Richard John, cabinet member for children and young people, said the claims were "inaccurate and misleading."

He added: "The report as a whole makes clear that Monmouthshire is the third best council in Wales for social mobility, while outcomes for primary school pupils from deprived backgrounds are the best in Wales.

"Cllr Batrouni has cherry picked the performance gap at GCSE where Monmouthshire is currently mid-table for outcomes for free school meals children, but top of the table for non-free school meals children, hence the variability is greatest. This gap is due to exceptional outcomes for non-free school meals children and volatility in Monmouthshire’s small number of students from deprived backgrounds."

He added: "Teachers in Monmouthshire are working hard to raise standards for every child in Monmouthshire and that’s why this report concluded that Monmouthshire is one of the very best places in Wales for deprived pupils to study and climb out of poverty."