TWO Blackpool schools have some of the worst pass rates in the county according to the latest primary school performance tables.

Only 18 per cent of Grange Park Junior School pupils reached the required level of achievement expected of them in maths.

And the 1999 National Curriculum Key Stage 2 assessment results for 11 year old pupils revealed only 16 per cent of pupils at Mereside County Primary made the grade in English.

But Mereside headteacher David Wright is optimistic for the future.

"These figures are based on exam results six months ago, only three months before our OFSTED action plan began.

"Now the plan is well under way and I am optimistic, as are the local authority, that next year the results will be better.

"This is now an improving school and I'm confident the future will be rosier." Blackpool Council's executive member for education, Eddie Collett, said the results were less than satisfactory.

"I'm not saying I'm pleased with the results, but overall while we are below average we aren't a million miles off.

"Obviously it would be nicer to talk about results if we were above the average mark.

"We must look at things as they are now and we are putting in a lot of effort to try and better our performance.

"Mereside has been classed as having Serious Weaknesses by OFSTED and I can't say the results there weren't expected, but we are giving the school a lot of support.

"As far as Grange Park is concerned the problems purely stem from its catchment area.

"Progress will be steady rather than spectacular and I am convinced we have to look at funding.

"We can't expect schools to simply improve by saying work harder and faster.

"We have to look at increasing funding and that is something the council will be looking at in the next budget."

On average in Blackpool 64 per cent of pupils reach the expected level in English, 64 per cent in Maths and 70 per cent in Science.

Elsewhere schools in Fylde and Wyre, which are covered by the Lancashire County Council education authority, showed marked improvements.

Schools covered by LCC are now well above the national averages in English, Maths and Science.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.