Kingstons primary schools finished 16th in the country in primary school league tables released this week, while neighbours Richmond topped the lot for the second year running.

The new tables are based on the 2001 key stage two national curriculum tests which pupils take in English, science and mathematics.

The aggregate positions were found by taking the average percentage in all three tests and adding them together to give a score out of 300.

And Kingstons primary school children averaged a score of 246.8, well above the national average of 233.

New figures on the average points scored by each pupil are designed to give a better indication of each students performance.

Pupils at Latchmere Junior School, Kingston, scored

an average of 30.1 points, much better than the national average of 27.3 and 28 in Kingston.

Head teacher of Latchmere, Paul Jarman, said: We are extremely proud of the children who have done so well. However, I am against league tables because the important thing is that individual children learn to the best of their ability.

Christ Church, Church of England, Primary School, Surbiton, had 97 per cent of pupils achieved the expected standard in each of the three areas.

And every student at St Josephs Catholic Primary School, Kingston, achieved the expected standard in science.

More worrying for education bosses is the performance of The Mount Primary School, New Malden, which came last out of all the schools in the borough. Last year the schools aggregate figures showed an average score of 204 but this year that has fallen to 159.

By.David Rankin