MACCLESFIELD’S primary schools have finished top of the class in East Cheshire.

The town’s kids rule the roost with all three of the top three schools at Level 4 of the Key Stage 2 tests, the accepted standard for children transferring to secondary school.

Lostock Hall in Poynton tops the tree, Adlington second, with Nether Alderley coming in a respectable third.

Level 5 champions Prestbury finish fourth, making Macclesfield the king of the educational jungle for the area.

And the key to Adlington and Poynton doing so well is the schools around Poynton’s programme of co-operation.

Deputy head of Adlington Primary School, Lynette Kelly, said: "We work very closely with Poynton High, and the primary schools in Poynton and Disley.

"We are a group with teachers meeting to share expertise and we have a very good relationship with Poynton High, so there is a good transition for the children."

Graham Hamilton, headteacher at Lostock Hall, which has 125 pupils, is pleased that his school has done so well, but is more concerned about focusing on the children.

He said: "The performance tables are not the be-all and end-all, it’s about focusing on the children and making sure they do the best they can. When the two things come together it’s nice to celebrate with the community though."

The secret of Lostock’s success is, according to Mr Hamilton, focusing on each individual child’s needs and giving value for money.

He added: "We are the highest of the non-denominational schools and I am proud of the staff and the children. It’s about value for money, the parents know what they are getting here is better then at an independent school."

In Cheshire as a whole, a total of 84 per cent of youngsters attained level four in English, 81pc in maths, which are both 4pc ahead of the national figure, and 90pc in science which is 2pc ahead of the country as a whole.

Of Cheshire’s 7,600 primary and junior school children who sat the tests, 389pc achieved the higher level in English (34pc nationally), 37pc in maths (32pc nationally) and 50pc in science (46pc nationally).

Statistics aside, Lynette Kelly, deputy head of Adlington Primary School, thinks schools can be judged on other factors.

She added: "We aim for every child to make as much progress as they can with a seven year project. Publishing results puts a lot of pressure in children and staff in schools, we prefer people to come in and visit and see what a happy school we are."

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