PUPILS were celebrating after scoring top marks in the annual SATs league table.

The Parrett and Axe Primary School at Mosterton gained 100 per cent rating for all of the categories in the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) results for pupils aged 10 and 11.

The rankings placed them third in the Dorset County Council area for the percentage of pupils achieving the benchmark level four in English and maths and among the very best nationally.

Headteacher Nigel Evans said: “We were delighted with the results.

“We normally do well. We are a small school with small year groups. It can vary with different year groups.”

He added: “The success was down to very committed children, very committed families and very committed staff.”

Some 16 pupils from Parrett and Axe took the SATs.

The school has a total of 106 pupils.

Pupils who took the key stage two SATs have now gone on the secondary schools in the area.

The tables showed the percentages of pupils reaching the benchmark standards in English and maths as well as progress made and rankings in the local authority area.

Broadwindsor Primary School came 10th in the local authority area with percentages between 80 and 100 per cent.

Others to do well included Salway Ash Primary School, Charmouth and Bridport Primary School.

St Mary’s Primary School at Beaminster finished 91st in the local authority area, with 36 per cent of pupils reaching the required standard in both English and maths.

The SATS results also brought fresh calls for the examinations to be scrapped.

Parents Outloud activist Margaret Morrissey, of Dorchester, said: “It’s not a great time for the results to be released considering it is only a few days before schools go on their Christmas breaks.

“The government needs to prove the worth of league tables.

“Anyone who knows anything about education knows this is not an effective way of measuring. You can look at a league table and read 100 different things from it. It doesn’t necessarily tell you how a child is really doing.”

The top school in the Dorset County Council area was St Andrew’s of Yetminster, followed by Southwell on Portland and then Parrett and Axe.

See this week’s Bridport News for your complete SATs table on schools in West Dorset

A MEASURE OF DEVELOPMENT

THE Scholastic Assessment Tests (SATs) measure the progress of schoolchildren in years two, six and nine.

In key stage two assessments, pupils aged 10 to 11 are expected to achieve the national average level four.

Children are tested on all of the work they have covered in all year groups so far.

Every school has a set target for the percentage of pupil it expects to achieve the result.

Dorset schools attained the same level of pupils hitting the benchmark grade as in 2010.

A total of 74 per cent of pupils achieved level four in both English and maths – the same result as last year.

Dorset County Council’s cabinet member of children’s services Toni Coombs said: “Once again, I am pleased to be able to congratulate all the Dorset teachers and pupils for their continued commitment and hard work.

“We are very proud of our schools in Dorset and are very pleased with these results.”