Independent schools have also complained about A-levels

St Paul's School in London is to drop GCSE sciences and could drop GCSE maths because it says the exams do not prepare pupils properly for A-levels.

High Master Dr Martin Stephen said pupils would study the International GCSE instead, so they were challenged.

He also attacked league tables, saying they failed to recognise some schools' achievements.

St Paul's, a school for boys in Barnes, south-west London, came top for GCSEs at independent schools for the second year running, according to the Independent Schools Council.

Pupils scored on average 10 A*s each at GCSE this year.

Dr Stephen said the problem with GCSEs was that there was confusion about its role.

The league tables are a cancerous growth on the face of education Dr Martin Stephen , High Master St Paul's School

"Is it a leaving certificate representing a guarantee of minimum competence? Is it a qualifier for further and higher education?

"By trying to do both, it has managed not to do either terribly well," he said.

"It has probably been just about satisfactory until the new specifications recently announced.

"These do things such as take all the mathematical content out of some of the science papers and are forcing a larger and larger number of schools to move to the IGCSE on the basis that this actually is a preparation for A-level.

"We are moving to iGCSE in sciences and maths is under consideration."

Dr Stephen attacked league tables, saying they did more harm than good.

"We are a competitive school and proud of our competitive boys. If there is a league table we like to come top," he said.

"However, nothing has changed my opinion that the league tables are a cancerous growth on the face of education.