FIVE Worcestershire schools are celebrating being named among the educational lite in Ofsted's annual report.

Himbleton CE First and South Bromsgrove Community High School were both recognised for "outstanding" performances during inspections in the last academic year.

Three others - Dines Green Primary and Nunnery Wood Primary schools, in Worcester, and Kidderminster's St Ambrose's Catholic Primary School - were also highlighted for raising standards and coming out of special measures.

Their efforts have been published on the Ofsted website in a list of star schools, which was presented to the House of Commons by Education Secretary, Ruth Kelly, yesterday.

"We are really pleased to have this recognition of our hard work," said Steve Gough, Dines Green Primary's headteacher, who has overseen a change of fortunes since he was appointed, in 2002.

"We have continued the work since we came out of special measures in June and the morale boost is great for everybody here."

A new entrance hall and SureStart facility at the Tudor Way school has also helped the transformation.

Sue Mason, headteacher at Nunnery Wood Primary School, which was taken out of special measures in November 2003 - after just three of five scheduled Ofsted visits - was equally delighted.

"Things are still rapidly improving and the school is coming on every day," she said.

"We have a fantastic team with the staff and governors, and the parental support and the pupils themselves have been great.

"It was a whole school effort not just to get out of special measures, but also to continue the work."

At Himbleton CE First School, chairman of governors Louise Holdway is looking forward to the challenge of maintaining the school's impressive position.

"We are proud that our work has been recognised at a national level," she said. "The main thing is to maintain and improve, and not become complacent."

In 2003/04 Ofsted inspected more than 4,300 schools, colleges, special schools and pupil referral units, and around 500 were praised in chief executive David Bell's report.