Getting better and better and better!

Staff and pupils at Layton Primary School are celebrating after being praised by the government

The difference between what pupils can achieve by the time they leave Layton Primary School compared to when they started is so vast it has even landed the school a letter from the government.

Headteacher Jonathan Clucas described being ranked in the top 100 out of 16,700 English primary schools for pupils’ progress – the top one per cent – as an ‘exceptional’ feat but warned: “If you think you have made it as a school, it’s a sure sign you haven’t.”

In a letter to Mr Clucas, government schools minister Nick Gibb MP said: “We want to ensure every child progresses to the very best of their ability in reading, writing, and maths so they ... succeed at secondary school and beyond.

Headteacher Jonathan Clucas with pupils Kyle Nicholls, Kelsey Bramley and Tyler-Ashley Davies.

“Your school is clearly putting great effort into achieving this. Thank you for your work in continuing the drive towards high standards of educational achievement, and congratulations again to you and your staff for your hard work and determination.”

The progress was measured by using test results at the end of key stage one (KS1), when most youngsters are seven years old, and comparing them against exam results at end of Year 6, when they are 11 and preparing for life at secondary school.

At Layton, nine in 10 pupils achieved their expected level in reading, writing, spelling, punctuation and grammar, and maths.

Mr Clucas said: “We are proud of the children, it’s the children who got the results. It’s great for them and it’s recognition of the good work the school does.

“Our job is to give the children a sound grasp of the basic skills they need for high school. There’s always room for improvement. Every school does something really well, this is what we do really well.”

Mr Clucas said the school’s curriculum is based on top research, which produces ‘exciting, engaging, and extremely challenging’ lessons.

“We have extremely high expectations of what our pupils can achieve,” he added. “We make sure they are making progress all the time.”

The school received a similar letter of praise from the government in 2013, when it placed in the top 250 nationally for improving progress for disadvantaged children.