Schools best ever results

Provisional results for this year's Key Stage 2 standard assessment tests, known as SATS, which are taken by 11-year-olds, show that Barnsley pupils have achieved the best set of results in English, maths and science ever seen within the local authority.

Not only have Barnsley pupil's improved more than the national average, the results have seen Barnsley Education Authority's national ranking also improving.

Pupils in Barnsley are still behind the national average by between three and five per cent - but education chiefs point out that the improvement means Barnsley is catching up and is no longer lingering at the bottom of exam league tables.

Cabinet member Coun Linda Bur-gess said: "This is really exciting and the children and schools in Barnsley are to be warmly congratulated.

"Their performance means that in Barnsley at Key Stage 2 the results have improved by more than three per cent in all three core subjects, against a national rise of one per cent across the subjects.

"This is very very pleasing."

Barnsley pupils achieving the expected level or higher in English tests has risen by 3.2 per cent to 75 per cent - compared to an increase of one per cent nationally.

English results have increased by more than 10 per cent since 2003 compared with five per cent nationally, and in English Barnsley Education Authority is provisionally ranked joint 130th, out of 150, an increase of 13 places on 2006 figures.

Maths results have improved by 3.6 per cent to 72 per cent - more than the national average, which means since 2003 Barnsley's figure has risen by nearly seven per cent compared to a rise of just over four per cent nationally.

In maths, Barnsley is provisionally ranked joint 130th - an increase of 15 places on 2006 figures.

Science results have risen by four per cent to 85 per cent, compared to the national improvement was just one per cent.

Against other authorities, the 2007 science results means Barnsley is now provisionally ranked joint 115th out of 150, an increase of 26 places on 2006.

When English, maths and science results are combined Barnsley is now provisionally ranked joint 134th out of 150 education authorities.