THIRTY five schools across the region have been identified as "outstanding" in a Government report on education standards.

The report by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools, David Bell, also flags up the successes of a number of previously failing schools.

All received inspections from education watchdog Ofsted in the period 2002-3.

County Durham Local Education Authority (LEA) had seven schools said to be outstanding and providing a high standard of education, while North Yorkshire LEA had eight.

A total of 415 schools and colleges in the UK were identified overall as outstanding.

It was not all good news however, as the number of schools judged to be still failing - 160 - increased for the first time since Labour came to power in 1997.

Schools in this region removed from so-called "special measures", aimed at avoiding closure, after significantly improving their performance included Woodhouse Close Junior School, Bishop Auck- land, and Starbeck Community Primary School, Harrogate.

Mr Bell said the schools included in the report had done particularly well, "virtually on all fronts", or had achieved highly against the odds.

Keith Mitchell, Durham County Council director of education, said: "We are absolutely delighted to have our schools mentioned in the report as examples of good practice and we are confident that many more would also have been identified had they been included in this year's round of inspections."

Teacher Julie Corrigan, of Esh Winning Primary School, near Durham, one of the outstanding schools identified in the report, said: "The teachers are absolutely delighted and it is reward for all the hard work they put in."

Esh Winning, which has a pioneering eco-centre, was described in its last inspection report as "creating a challenging climate for learning through a greatly enhanced curriculum which is supportive and caring and provides an excellent range of opportunities".

Councillor Chris Metcalfe, North Yorkshire County Council's executive member for education, said: "While it is fabulous that some of our schools have been highlighted, it is important to remember that standards are high right across the county."

Vicki Farby, headteacher at Kirkby Fleetham C of E Primary School, near Northallerton, another outstanding school, added: "We are all delighted, absolutely thrilled. This is testimony to the hard work everyone puts in to the school."

* The full list of schools in the North-East and North Yorkshire with outstanding inspection reports in the period 2002-2003 is as follows:

Durham LEA: Bishop Middleham CofE Primary; Bournmoor Primary; Browney Primary; Cassop Primary; Esh Winning Primary; Parkside Infants, Seaham; St Oswald's CofE Infants.

Gateshead LEA: Falla Park Community Primary; Lord Lawson of Beamish Community School, Chester-le-Street; St Thomas More RC School, Blaydon.

Hartlepool LEA: Elwick Hall CofE Primary.

Middlesbrough LEA: St Augustine's RC Primary.

Newcastle LEA: Ravenswood Primary; St Alban's RC Primary; St Cuthbert's RC Primary; Stocksfield Avenue Primary.

North Yorkshire LEA: Alverton Infant and Nursery School, Northallerton; Austwick CofE Primary, near Settle; Kirkby Fleetham CofE Primary, near Northallerton; Ripley Endowed CofE School, near Harrogate; Sicklinghall Community Primary, near Harrogate; South Otterington CofE Voluntary Controlled Primary, near Thirsk; St Aidan's CofE High School and St John Fisher RC High School, Harrogate.

North Tyneside LEA: Holystone Primary, Shiremoor.

Redcar and Cleveland LEA: Saint Paulinus RC Voluntary Aided Primary, Guisborough.

South Tyneside LEA: Biddick Hall Juniors, South Shields; Westoe Infants, South Shields.

Stockton LEA: Holy Trinity CofE Juniors; Yarm Primary; St Patrick's RC Comprehensive School.

Sunderland LEA: Benedict Biscop CofE Aided Primary School; Mill Hill Primary; Quarry View Primary; Springwell Dene School.