A MALVERN primary school recorded the worst results in the county for Year Six pupils assessed at Key Stage Two.

The 19 pupils tested at Poolbrook Primary in May had the worst result in mathematics (21 per cent) of any school in Worcestershire, as well as the lowest overall score.

Headteacher Gill Samuels said: "The league tables are on results that happened quite a while ago and the school is moving on.

"The results fluctuate year on year, depending on the children that you have, and we're receiving positive feedback from many areas across the school.

"We prefer to look forward rather than back."

Other local schools performed outstandingly well. Longdon St Mary's CE Primary recorded a perfect score for all 11 pupils assessed in maths, English and science.

Headteacher Lynne Phoenix said: "We're really delighted. All the staff work very hard and it's good to see public recognition.

"However, it's not really my achievement. Elaine Carter was headteacher when Year 6 took the tests (in May) and I'm hoping to develop from there.

"League tables are not particularly useful in assessing the performance of small schools. We had 11 pupils' results that they are based on, so the results can go to 80 to 100 per cent year on year, depending on the performances of a couple of pupils.

"They are only useful as a rule of thumb. If year after year a school is only getting 30 per cent in level four, then people should start asking questions."

Despite the fact his school performed well, scoring 93 per cent in each category with 28 entrants, the headteacher of Colwall CE Primary, Richard Southall, said the tables were a flawed method of assessment.

"Raw data is not particularly helpful in judging schools' performances," he said. "If a pupil is not performing well, it's not necessarily because a teacher is not working hard enough. It could be the pupil has a problem which needs attention."

Jim Preston, headteacher of Brockhampton Primary, welcomed news of his school's excellent results, which put it among the very top in Herefordshire. However, he also sounded a note of caution.

"It's good to see good results in the league tables but it has to be acknowledged that there is far more to education," he said.

"We have a big programme of visits and visitors to the school to try and give breadth to the children's education."