PUPILS and teachers at Swakeley's School were heartily congratulating each other after leaping up the league table to become one of the country's most improved schools.

The school, in Clifton Gardens, Hillingdon saw an increase of 19 pupils gaining five or more A* to C grades from 1998 to 2001 an impressive jump from 43 to 62 in the three years.

"We are very pleased with the results and they are a tribute to the hard work put in by members of staff and students," said headteacher John Taylor.

"We were slightly surprised as the figures were higher than expected, although we have been working hard with students to get them to target improvements. We can't expect an increase every year although we are hopeful of maintaining our performance."

Overall, the borough's best performing school, St Helen's School, in Eastbury Road, Northwood, had a 99 per cent pass rate of five or more A* to C passes. Although this was a drop from last year's excellent 100 per cent, it was an increase from 97 per cent in 1999.

There was also success for Bishop Ramsey C of E VA Secondary School, in Hume Way, Ruislip, which came in the category for top comprehensives in A-levels with 22 points per student at 6.7 points per subject.

Also in this list was Uxbridge High School, in The Greenway, which had 17.6 points per student and 6.5 points per subject.

However, it was not all good news with the borough's lowest performing school, Evelyn's Community School, in Apple Tree Avenue, West Drayton, having a 17 per cent pass rate of five or more A* to C passes, a drop on last year's 21 per cent.

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