TALENTED primary school children from Thornaby are celebrating mathematics success after passing a high level test.

The 11-year-olds passed level six of key stage two.

Normally, children of their age sit a paper that assesses them at level three to five.

The schools that had pupils sitting the paper are part of the Thornaby Small Education Action Zone, which is in turn part of the Excellence in Cities programme.

Each term, the pupils gathered together for one morning in one of the town's secondary schools to take part in a maths challenge.

They also took part in an after-school maths extension class run fortnightly by Michael Eddy, headteacher of Christ the King Primary School, and Caroline Heywood, assistant headteacher from Harewood Junior School.

Thirty-five pupils sat the exam and 12 passed it.

Trevor Watson, project director of Thornaby Education Action Zone, said: "The children have done very well and the teachers have worked incredibly hard with them.

"The mathematics extension class which the children attended fortnightly has been a key feature to help them achieve what they have."