Our schools are leading the way (From Warrington Guardian)

Our schools are leading the way

WARRINGTON schools are again leading the country after securing a top-20 place in performance league tables published today, Thursday.

Children in the borough's primary schools have finished in the top 20 out of more than 150 local education authorities nationally following last summer's tests for 11-year-olds in English, maths and science.

The scores showed that Warrington schools topped the tables in English in the north west and were second in maths and science.

Clr Maureen Banner, Warrington Borough Council's executive member for education, praised the results.

"Warrington's primary age pupils and schools have once again excelled in performance and we are all very proud of the hard work and effort that has produced these fantastic results," she said.

But the borough council's education director Malcolm Roxburgh sounded a warning note to parents.

He said: "The results vary for every school and reflect both the success of the school and the ability range of the pupils within the school.

"The tables include a value-added measure which shows how much progress pupils have made since the tests they took in year two."

The tables show how many pupils achieved the Government standard score of level four and also the results during the last four years.

As Mr Roxburgh explained, a new value added score shows how much a school has improved a child since exams when they were aged seven.

Many schools across the borough achieved excellent results, with some of the best including St Peter's Primary in Woolston, St Thomas's in Stockton Heath, Ravenbank Primary in Lymm, and Twiss Green Primary in Culcheth.

Meanwhile, many schools did particularly well in the value added tables, including St Benedict's Primary in Orford, and St Oswald's Primary in Padgate.

Henryk Koltan, head teacher at St Benedict's Primary School in Orford, said: "We are proud and delighted to recognise the school's achievement in children's learning and value the tremendous contribution from school staff, parents, governors and the whole school community.

"Here at St Benedict's, what is equally important is the development of each individual child's own self-esteem as well as providing opportunities for children to fulfil their own potential."

A full list of achievements from schools in Warrington is available by clicking on the link on the website's front page.