WHILE there does have to be a system for assessing and rating schools so that staff, parents, governing bodies and the general public can see whether they are meeting targets, very few education workers like the government league tables. That’s because they are all about measuring performance on tangible data such as exam results, and many bright pupils struggle in the high-pressure test environment.

Also, with primary school, the focus should be just as much on developing children emotionally and socially as it is ensuring that they measure up academically.

Those early years of their educational life should be about preparing them for the challenges, both academic and social, of secondary school and further education.

So, although the Worcester primary schools at the top end of the government league table should be proud of themselves, the schools at the other end should not despair – as long as pupils are happy and their parents are pleased with the school’s work, and those kids are going onto secondary school with the tools they need to succeed, it’s job well done.