Primary schools stay at top of league tables

The tables published this week by the Department for Education and Skills are based on the results of 11-year-old pupils gaining level four the required standard or above in the national tests in English, maths and science.

It is the second year in a row that Richmonds Local Education Authority has claimed the top place in the league tables after the boroughs pupils excelled in the exams.

The pass rates in all three subjects were above the national average with 84 per cent of pupils at level four or above in English, 81 per cent in maths and 93 per cent in science.

Pupils at St Mary Magdalenes RC School in Worple Street, Mortlake, swept the board with a 100 per cent pass rate in all three exams to become Richmonds best performing school.

Headteacher John Murphy attributed the schools success in the national tests to its ethos of helping every pupil perform to the best of their ability.

But he acknowledged that the performance in the league tables was dependent on the results achieved by different groups of pupils.

He said: It is very much a lottery in the sense that one cohort can be very different to another cohort. This year we have cracked it 100 per cent all round, now it is about maintaining that momentum.

It is the whole community working together the children, teachers, parents and governors.

The school runs homework clubs and a breakfast club to help the children work towards the SAT tests but Mr Murphy stressed that the league tables were only one measure of a schools performance and should be treated with caution.

Councillor Stephen Knight, executive member for education at Richmond Council, said he was delighted with the performance of the boroughs primary schools.

He said: In a year when the national results have levelled or even dipped, we are delighted that our levels of achievement are improving.

The results are a credit to the professionalism of the teachers and staff in our schools.

By.Helen Barnes