Top class!

The borough came out ranked ninth out of 150 local education authorities nationwide.

The new Department for Education and Employment figures illustrate performances among 10 and 11-year-olds completing Standard Attainment Task (SAT) tests at Key Stage 2 in the 1997/8 academic year. SAT scores include test and teacher assessment information.

Compared with neighbouring authorities and also the borough's "statistical neighbours" - LEAs with similar population sizes and social profiles - Bury has taken first place in all three core subjects of English, maths and science.

Although there was a slight drop over last year's standards, the performance of local youngsters achieving the desired level 4 or above is still nine per cent above the national average in English, eight per cent in maths and seven per cent in science.

The last set of Government figures were published in 1997; last year local authorities published their own results. Holly Mount RC Primary, at Holcombe Road, Greenmount, found a place in the top 200 schools nationally, as did Greenmount CP School at Holhouse Lane and Greenhill CP School at Mile Lane in Bury.

Unsworth CP School, at Blackley Close, Bury, was found to have improved significantly compared with other primary schools in the borough since the last set of results; its ranking in Bury rose from 36th to 9th.

Headteacher Christine Reynolds said: "We haven't suddenly become a good school. Parents have told me that they are interested in rankings but that they consider many other factors when choosing a school for a child.

"The tables can fluctuate so much year on year because we have a special needs provision at the school. Our special needs pupils enrich the school and we want to keep it that way.

"It is not a case of standards but of the make-up of a class. Raw statistics don't always do a school justice, progress is not always reflected in tables. As one parent said to me, there is a child behind every one of those statistics."

Councillor Andrea Hughes, Bury's education chairman, said: "The results are once again a tribute to the hard work and commitment of our local schools, their staff, governors, parents and of course, pupils. Bury has shown that even poorly funded it can produce results which have brought tremendous admiration from across the country.

"The Government has already shown its willingness to support education locally but, as a council, we will not be satisfied until we get the proper level of funding that our schools deserve." Mr Harold Williams, chief education officer, added: "We are very pleased with the continuing high level of performance seen in the Key Stage 2 tests when Bury is compared with its near neighbours and its statistical neighbours.

"It is particularly pleasing when the very low levels of funding available to schools in Bury is taken into account. Our children are to be congratulated on the outcomes they have achieved. Thanks need to be expressed also to staff, governors and parents who do so much to support our young people."

Bury North MP David Chaytor welcomed the results and together with Bury South MP Ivan Lewis proposed a Parliamentary motion on Wednesday afternoon, congratulating teachers, pupils and the local authority.

Mr Chaytor said: "The results show an outstanding performance by Bury's primary schools. Bury is the second best metropolitan district and is competing very effectively with districts which are far more affluent.

"The performance of some schools in Bury serving less privileged catchment areas is extremely good.

"However, we must remember that league tables are a blunt instrument for measuring school achievement. A small change in the number of children involved in the tests produces a disproportionate change in a school's percentage score.

"Both Ivan Lewis and I will use the results to support our continuing campaign for fair funding for Bury's schools."

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