Top class!

The primary school league tables, revealed on Wednesday (Dec 5), are based on how well 11-year-old pupils performed in the summer Standard Attainment Task (SATs) tests. They measure the percentage of pupils who achieve level four, the average level for that age group, in the core subjects of English, maths and science.

Sharing top place in the local table were Greenmount Primary School and Lowercroft Primary School, Bury. At both schools 100 per cent of 11-year-olds achieved the expected level in all three subjects.

The headteacher of Greenmount, Mr Peter Parker said: "I'm very pleased and proud to lead such a dedicated team of professionals who work unstintingly for the needs of each unique pupil. They richly deserve the praise they are receiving as do our pupils, parents and friends."

And Mrs Jean Boardman, the headteacher of Lowercroft, said that she was extremely pleased by all the hard work at the school.

But she added: "I do think that league tables are divisive and serve no real purpose."

The most improved school was Radcliffe Hall CE Methodist School on Bury Street. Last year it had a total score of 161 but this has leapt by a whopping 53 points to 214 this year.

Deputy headteacher Mrs Christine Lancashire said: "These are our best ever results. It's excellent news and is down to the hard work and dedication of staff and children. In the past, literacy has been our weakest area but we have put a big emphasis on improving this which has obviously paid off." She added: "This is very much a whole school effort by staff and the pupils who have been with us since nursery."

Compared with LEAs across the country Bury was rated 15th out of 152, a slight slip from its placing at position nine last year.

In English, Bury schools had an average score of 79.1. In maths the average was 77.6 and in science 90.3. These are all higher than the national averages of, respectively, 75, 71 and 87, but compare unfavourably to the borough's own performance last year (79.6, 79.5 and 88.5).

Out of Bury's 66 schools 23 schools failed to meet the national average in English, 15 failed to make the grade in maths, and 18 in science.

According to official statistics by the Department for education and skills, the school which performed the poorest was St John's CE Primary School in Athlone Avenue, Bury, with a total score of 131.

However, Bury LEA has found a discrepancy with its own statistics and so St John's figures will be re-assessed.

Its headteacher Mr s Janet Moore, who took over the headship this year, said: "I acknowledge that the published results are below standard but in our Ofsted report in June the findings were that under my leadership good teaching is now taking place which will ensure in the future that pupils will make rapid improvement."

Besides its national success, Bury also did very well compared to other LEAs in Greater Manchester and came top with a total average score of 247. The closest contender was Trafford with a score of 243.5.

Bury Council's executive member for lifelong learning, Councillor Steve Perkins, said: "Schools and pupils are to be congratulated on their achievements. Once again we are pleased to see that Bury's schools rank alongside the best in the country.

"The fact that they continue to be in the top quarter on funding levels that are in the bottom quarter is a remarkable testimony to the skills of our teachers, attitude of the pupils and the support of other staff, governors and parents in ensuring that a strong, borough-wide commitment to education and school improvement is reflected in results like these."

King David Junior School in Crumpsall has been named the highest performing school in Greater Manchester and the second highest performing school nationwide.

Like Greenmount and Lowercroft, the Bury Old Road school, which is attended by a large number of the borough's Jewish children, saw 100 per cent of its pupils reaching level four in the English, maths and science tests.

But it is because King David's has a higher number of pupils, 92 as opposed to Greenmount's 35 and Lowercroft's 33, that it has taken second place in the tables.

Headteacher Mr Eric Wilson said: "I am against the idea of having league tables, but we always do well in them.

"It is a very unfair way of judging schools as the school at the bottom works equally as hard as those at the top and this has a demoralising effect on the teaching staff. However, the tables do show sustained achievement."

Speaking in praise of his staff, Mr Wilson said that every teacher, right from the infant department, had a part to play in the school's success.

He said: "It is like a relay effect. You don't just give a medal to the final runner."