School makes the UK top 100

Handing out the praise is Alan Mooney, headteacher at St James-the-less Roman Catholic Primary School in Unity Way, Rawtenstall.

He was speaking out after his school was ranked 27th in the government's Key Stage 2 value added league tables released today.

Value added scores measure the progress 11-year-olds have made since the age of seven when they took Key Stage 1 tests and are intended to allow fairer comparisons between schools with different pupil intakes.

The government's benchmark score is 100, with fluctuations either side meaning a school is deemed above or below average.

And Mr Mooney was delighted his school was named among the top 100 schools helping pupils meet their potential -- with a value-added score of 103.1.

He said its first appearance in the list was down to "sheer hard work" from everyone associated with the school.

St Joseph's RC Primary School in Hurst Green near Clitheroe did even better --coming joint first in the government's league tables with an overall value added score of 103.6.

Delighted headteacher Linda Wilkinson described the achievement as "incredible" and was in no doubt where the main credit lay.

"In Colin Crabtree we have a fantastic key Stage Two teacher who has the ability to make the pupils believe in themselves, not just academically but in all aspects at the school.

"He has only been here three years and is the best thing that ever happened to us."

Other success stories included St Andrew's CE Primary School, Oswaldtwistle which was ranked 70th on the government's 100 most improving schools at Key Stage 2.

Nationally, the results were better than last year in 53 per cent of schools, but worse in 45 per cent.

In 229 schools out of more than 13,500 all the final-year pupils reached the standard the government expects. They acheived the maximum 300 score in English, maths and science.

Lowest score among the rest was 57.Averages in different areas ranged from 267 to 209.