PUPILS at an East Lancashire primary school were celebrating a startling success today after it was named one of the most improved schools in the country.

The latest primary school league tables, based on 11-year-old pupils' National Curriculum test results, showed Roman Road County Primary in Blackburn was the ninth most improved school nationwide.

And youngsters at Turton Edgworth CE Methodist School were also cock-a-hoop after it scooped the seventh best result in the country.

Pupils at Manor Road School, Chorley, were also celebrating the second best result in the country.

Four years ago, only seven per cent of children at Roman Road Primary in Fishmoor Drive passed maths tests and 11 per cent achieved the target for English, but today's performance tables showed that 72 per cent got their maths and 64 per cent passed English in this year's tests.

Standards in science have also improved from an 18 per cent pass rate in 1996 to 88 per cent this year.

Deputy headteacher Steve Robinson said: "This has been a great morale booster for the staff and it's really down to team effort. Our confidence is high and there's no reason we should not do even better next year."

Mr Robinson said a £1,000 Government grant had been used to pay extra support staff to work with the lower-achieving children and boost their performance.

Schools standards minister Estelle Morris congratulated the school and said: "Roman Road Primary has shown impressive improvement in literacy and numeracy in very challenging circumstances. Today's results show just what can be achieved by committed teachers and pupils and effective, well supported national strategies." Pupils and staff at Turton Edgworth CE and Methodist School celebrated topping the Blackburn with Darwen area league table for the second year running with their best results ever. Every pupil passed all three core subject tests and their performance was the best in the country.

Deputy headteacher Albert Pollard said: "It's down to good team work, hard working staff, supportive parents and the children themselves, who worked exceptionally hard."

St Michael and St John RC School, Clitheroe, gained the highest scores in the Ribble Valley and was ranked 35th in the Lancashire County Council area. The school scored a 100 per cent science pass rate, 94 per cent in English and 88 per cent in maths.

Headteacher Vincent Murray said: "We are fortunate to serve pupils enjoying the support of parents and parish and this helps us work in partnership with home.

"Schools in other areas may not enjoy the support of those in the Ribble Valley and so I would say that league tables do need to be seen in this context."

In Hyndburn, West End County Primary, Oswaldtwistle, was ranked 36th in Lancashire. In maths and English, 96 per cent of pupils passed tests and 89 per cent achieved the science target.

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