BLACKPOOL'S primary schools are the most improved in the country -- and that's official!

Following yesterday's (Wednesday) publication of primary school league tables, Blackpool's results showed a "significant improvement" according to the borough's education director Dr David Sanders.

And results for Lancashire primary schools, including Wyre and Fylde, were immediately hailed by county councillors as "excellent".

The news came in the wake of disappointment and controversy last week over Blackpool's GCSE results.

Almost three quarters of the borough's primary schools enjoyed higher results than last year, many showing a huge improvement.

Schools were measured on the percentage of 8-11-year-old pupils achieving the required educational standard for Key Stage 2 of the national curriculum in English, maths and science.

Top of the Blackpool schools was Anchorsholme primary with a 94 per cent score for English, 96 per cent for maths and 99 per cent for science.

Mike Bryan, head teacher of the Eastpines Drive school said the school was "positive" about the results but urged parents to look beyond the figures at what schools achieved as a whole. "There are a lot of other things that are as important as this.

"My staff have worked their socks off but at the end of the day a lot of other staff in other schools are doing the same," he said.

One of the most improved schools was Our Lady of the Assumption RC primary in Marton, which has turned itself around in the 18 months since Government inspectors placed it into special measures.

Of all the primaries in Blackpool, the school gained the biggest rise in the score for all three subjects leaping from 179 last year to 245 this year. The school also beat the national benchmark figures of 75 per cent for English, 71 per cent for maths and 87 per cent for science.

As a whole between 1999 and 2001 Blackpool primary schools have achieved a rise in English from 64.4 per cent to 72.8 per cent, in maths from 64 to 72 per cent and in science from 70.4 to 87.4 per cent.

Dr Sanders, director of education for Blackpool Borough Council, praised Blackpool's class teachers, head teachers and advisory teams who have worked with teachers to help boost figures.

"We have done extraordinarily well. We have moved up significantly in all areas," he said.

"From being in a situation where we were five, six even seven per cent behind in maths and science we are now slightly above the national average," he said.

Fylde and Wyre schools were also praised by County Councillor Alan Whittaker, cabinet member for education and young people at County Hall after the county's schools exceeded the national average in every quality measure.

Results showed Lytham Hall Park primary school as the leading Fylde school. Pupils achieved 97 per cent for English, and 100 per cent for both maths and science.

In Wyre, pupils at St John's RC primary, Breck Road, achieved 97 per cent for English and maths and 100 per cent for science.

Coun Whittaker said: "Our schools should feel proud of these excellent results. Lancashire is maintaining a trend of improvement in overall test percentages and the results are significantly above the national average in all subjects."

On a cautionary note he added: "Schools should be judged by a broad range of measures, not just the tables published today, but it is encouraging to find that so many Lancashire schools are doing well."

This is the fifth year that local education authorities have published primary school performance tables showing key stage two assessment results in English, maths and science, for pupils aged 8-11.