GIFTED and talented youngsters from a Tyldesley school have been taking part in an elite set of exams.

Pupils from schools which are part of the Kingsbridge Excellence Cluster of Schools -- Fred Longworth High School and four Wigan schools -- were given the chance to enter world class tests to see how they fared against their opposite numbers from countries around the world.

The tests are designed for the top 10 per cent of pupils across the globe aged between nine and 13. They look at reasoning skills in maths or problem solving. Part of the exam is written, the other is completed on a computer.

Out of 19 pupils taking part, 13 successfully passed the tests. This means they can now enter the World Class Arena and directly link up with schools abroad via the Internet and swap skills with other pupils, or get more expert tutoring.