A school in one of the most educationally challenged authorities in the country has seen results by 11-year-olds almost double during in the last three years.

Hateley Heath Primary School and Children's Centre in West Bromwich is also the eighth most improved nationally according to the difference in the aggregate score for English, maths and science exams in 2003 compared to this year.

The school is in Sandwell Council’s area, the second worst authority for attainment at primary level in the country and tenth from bottom nationally.

Headteacher Elaine Stevens said a key factor in the turn-around was developing a good working relationship between the school and parents.

"I have appointed a very effective school team, but alongside that we have built up trust with the parents. Over the last five years they have come to trust the school and the staff and know we are doing the very best for their children."

Ms Stevens said parents trusting a school was crucial to its success. "Supporting the child is a partnership between the school and parents," she said.

"It wouldn't work if one of the partners isn't fighting to do the best for the child."

When Ms Stevens took over the school five years ago it was classed as "under-achieving" by Ofsted.

A focus on building up an effective school team backed by training was put in place.

Ms Stevens welcomed Hateley Heath's league table success, but warned against taking league tables too seriously. "They should be looked at in perspective," she said. "All they show is the performance of that particular group of children at that particular time, which is why they are a very inaccurate and unfair measure on which to judge a school.

"Parents do look at them and take them into consideration.

"Parents do look at them and take them into consideration. But I would hope a parent who was looking at a school would come and look at the whole school. What the school ethos is and what it does in the community."

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Top five for improvement since 2003 in the West Midlands, with national ranking in brackets:

Hateley Heath Primary School, West Bromwich (8)
Martley C of E Primary School, Worcester (11)
The Priory Primary School, Wednesbury (15)
St Mary’s C of E Junior and Infants, Birmingham (26)
Eastfield Junior and Infants, Wolverhampton (30)