A SCHOOL is celebrating after being named one of the most improved in the country.

Stanley College of Technology was named as one of the top 100 improved schools by the Department of Education and Skills for last year's Key Stage 4 results.

It means children in Year 9 learned more in their two years at the school than in previous years.

Headteacher Janet Bridges said: "It is all down to the hard work of the staff and students who have been very well behaved.

"There has been a focus on individual learning and support, planned development and concentrating on the quality of teaching."

The results are based on the Standard Assessment Tests (SATs) taken by 13 and 14-year-olds last year. In maths, those achieving level five was 72 per cent compared with 47 per cent in 2002. In 2004, 65 per cent attained level five in English, also up from 47 per cent two years previously, while in science the figure rose from 47 per cent to 61 per cent.

Miss Bridges said they hoped for even better results this year.