WHITEFIELD Primary School is officially the best improver in the borough as Bury impressed in the national league tables published on Thursaday.

Figures for primary schools placed the borough eleventh in the country and second in Greater Manchester.

Children in the borough are best in the country at maths, with 82 per cent of pupils meeting standards set for their age group.

That compares with a figure of 74 per cent nationally.

The results are based on how well 11-year-olds fared in this summers Standard Attainment Tests (SATs).

In English the figure was 82 per cent, compared with 78, and in science it was 88 per cent compared with 86.

Whitefield Primary topped the borough's "value added results" - a register of improvement made between the ages of seven and 11.

The Victoria Avenue school's calculated figure was 102.3, earning it an A* accolade from the Government.

Headteacher Mrs Maura McGoldrick said: "I am extremely proud of our dedicated staff who work very hard to ensure that all our pupils reach their potential and experience personal success in all that they do."

Head teachers have given a guarded welcome to the results.

Topping the overall SATs results for Whitefield was St Bernadettes RC Primary in Abingdon Avenue.

Headteacher Des Burns said: "I am really pleased. There is always a certain health check with any sort of statistics, but it is good that this reflects so well on the hard work of the whole school community."

Leading the pack in Prestwich was St Mary's CE Primary in Rectory Lane.