Some of Wandsworth's primary schools have been celebrating this week after the national performance tables were published by the Department for Education and Skills.

Albemarle Primary School, in Southfields, was named among the top 100 most improved schools in the country over a three-year period. The school achieved a test score of 270 - reflecting standards in English, maths and science - more than doubling its 1998 score of 119.

Headteacher Beryl Pooley told the Borough News she put the success down to "excellent staff".

She said: "It's been hard work all round. There's no magic solution. We have wonderful classroom assistants in all classes. We are a team. All our staff are extremely good and hardworking."

Two Putney schools - All Saints and Our Lady of Victories - as well as Balham's Holy Ghost, scored the maximum 300 points this year, reflecting a 100 per cent success rate for pupils in all three subjects.

Sandra Johnson, headteacher at All Saints, said: "While it is wonderful to be top, Wandsworth's primary schools are excellent across the board, and some schools are having a far more difficult job to attain a 100 per cent score than we did.

"I really, really think I've got amazing staff," she added.

Other schools making improvements included John Burns, Riversdale, Roehampton, Belleville, Alton, Shaftesbury Park and St Anne's schools, with the latter increasing its score from 236 to 293 over the last 12 months.

And "pleased but not complacent" was the message from Wandle Primary headteacher Paul Larkey, whose school went from the worst performer to achieving the most improved results in the country since last year.

Cabinet member for education, Councillor Malcolm Grimston, said it was "immensely satisfying" to see the improvements in schools like Wandle and Albemarle, and added: "We can also take pride in the achievement of having three schools with perfect scores. No other education authority in the whole of London has managed this feat.

"This is a team effort involving schools, pupils, parents and the council's own education advisers.

"We all want our children to achieve their maximum potential."

December 7, 2001 12:01