CHILDREN and staff at Tranmere Park Primary School, Guiseley are celebrating coming second in the Government's School Attainment tables for the Leeds district this week.

The school is celebrating 100 per cent of pupils gaining Level Four or above in English, Maths and Science in the Year Six SATs tests this year.

Head teacher Kathryn Atkins said: "The levels were achieved as a result of the hard work by staff and pupils and it was very pleasing that all Year Six children achieved the expected level."

She added: "However, league tables are only one indicator of the performance of a school. Progress in sport, art and music should also be recognised and valued. There will be many schools in Leeds where children have made excellent progress throughout their primary years but it will not be reflected in the league tables."

Five schools from the Wharfedale area made it into the top 20 of the Local Education Authority ranking for SATs results this year.

Eldwick School, Bingley, took top slot in the Bradford District state primary schools' league table, and Burley and Woodhead Church of England Primary School gained the same attainment rate, but was ranked third in the table as it had fewer pupils sitting the Key Stage Two tests than Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School in Ilkley.

The Ilkley school, which was declared among the top ten in the country, chalked up more success as it came second place in Bradford's school league tables.

Burley and Woodhead Church of England Primary School was ranked just behind Sacred Heart although pupils hit the same standards in their tests.

All 25 children sitting the Kay Stage Two tests reached Level Four or above in English and science, and 96 per cent of them achieved that standard in maths.

Equal scores in the local authority school rankings are classified by the number of pupils who sat the tests. Burley and Woodhead had three fewer children sitting tests in the year group than Sacred Heart, and as a result was ranked third in the district.

Burley and Woodhead head teacher, Julie Speight, praised not only the work of staff, governors and pupils at the school, but also the supportive network which has been formed between Wharfedale's schools. She said: "We have such good children and lovely families and we're glad to have given them a good start."

Mrs Speight said the school has a 'happy atmosphere' and youngsters enjoy their school life.

"The Wharfe Valley has a really good, supportive network of schools," she said. "We give each other a lot of support as well."

Among the other high-scoring schools in the Leeds district were Hawksworth CofE School, Main Street, Hawksworth, which attained 100 percent at Level Four or above in English and science, and 93 percent in Maths at Level Four or above. The school was consequently ranked 13th in the tables.

St Mary's RC, on Broadgate Lane, Horsforth, came just behind at 14th, with 97 percent of pupils reaching Level Four or above in English, Maths and Science. The other schools in the top 20 were Westbrook Lane Primary, in Horsforth at 18th and Westgate, Otley at 19th.

In a separate league table for unauthorised absence, Tranmere Park was declared second best-performing school in the district, with 0.0 per cent rate for the 32 youngsters assessed.

Westgate Primary School was found to be the third best-performing school in the district for unauthorised absence, with a 0.0 percent rate for the 31 pupils assessed. The unauthorised absence rate was calculated on the percentage of half-days missed by pupils for unauthorised absence.

Sacred Heart Primary School in Ilkley was recently ranked ninth in a national survey of the country's top 500 primary schools.

Of the 28 pupils at Sacred Heart who sat the tests, 100 per cent achieved Level Four or above in Maths and Science, and 96 percent achieved the same standard in English.

Head teacher, Aileen Madden, had another reason to celebrate, in the wake of her school being ranked a national ninth in a Sunday Times survey.

She said: "That's really good news. The children have worked really hard as did the teachers and it's basically a team effort. The children are very well supported by their parents at home. I'm sure everyone will be really delighted."