THREE East Lancashire schools were celebrating today after being named among the best in Britain.

Our Lady and St John RC High and St Bede's RC High, both Blackburn, and Habergham High, Burnley, were named among the top 63 secondary schools to have received outstanding inspection reports by Ofsted, the Office of Standards in Education.

And the three school heads are delighted at being named among the elite.

John Challoner, of St Bede's, was so pleased with the news that he immediately informed the school over the louspeaker system.

He said: "What is significant is the fact the award is not only based on the Ofsted inspection but on the evidence of all pupils across the whole ability range demonstrating significant measurable levels of improvement.

"None of this would have been possible without the high level of support and co-operation the school receives from parents working in partnership to achieve these high standards." David Clayton, of Habergham High, said: "The news came out of the blue and to say we are delighted would be an understatement.

"We knew we were doing well but to have public acknowledgement of that is a bonus."

Michael Humphreys, of Our Lady and St John, said the school was proud of its exam results record. He said: "Over the last three years, the average individual GCSE score for each pupil improved by 10 per cent.

"In the 10 years since the school opened it has become renowned in Lancashire for its excellence."

The schools were named in the annual report of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools, Chris Woodhead.

He identified 63 secondary and 82 primary schools out of more than 5,000 inspected during 1995/96 as achieving high standards.

No East Lancashire primary schools were commended.

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