PUPILS and staff are celebrating after dozens of Colchester primary schools achieved better than the national average in SATs.

According to league tables released by the Department for Education, 33 schools in Colchester had more than 62 per cent of their pupils working at the expected levels in reading, writing and maths at the end of Year Six.

Hamilton Primary School was the third best performing school in Essex, with 95 per cent of pupils reaching the required levels in the three core subjects.

Head Nick Hutchings said: “I’m very pleased and proud with the dedication of the children, staff and the parents which helped us achieve these results.

“We are very proud of where we are nationally, and in Essex but there is a lot more to what we do than purely what the results show.

Braintree and Witham Times: Ethos - Hamilton headteacher Nick Hutchings

Ethos - Nick Hutchings

“We try to encourage a lot of creative aspects in the curriculum and extend opportunities for all the pupils.

“There is no secret formula – we try to run a school which is open to the community and updates parents with information about the progress of their children regularly.”

Home Farm Primary School boasted 90 per cent of pupils hitting the benchmark.

Head Richard Potter said: “We are very proud of our results but it is also about providing a holistic education for all the pupils. Of course, we are also very proud of our children for the way they worked.”

Some 14 schools in Colchester fell below the national average, with Monkwick Junior School and Tiptree Heath returning the lowest results in the borough, with 34 per cent and 38 per cent respectively.

Some 53 per cent of North Primary School pupils reached the national average. Alan Garnett, head at the Ofsted-labelled ‘good’ school, said: “Under the new assessment system progress is seen as the more significant measure of school performance.

“About half of the cohort did better at Key Stage 2 than those with similar prior attainment nationally in reading writing and maths. Most of the remainder made progress in line with national.”

At Brinkley Grove, 58 per cent of pupils attained the national average.

Braintree and Witham Times: Brinkley Grove School pupils doing skateboarding and scooter training with, Team Rubicon..Year 2's enjoying their lesson using scooters..

Fun - children at Brinkley Grove take part in scooter lessons 

Head Darren Smith said: "We are pleased that the hard work and effort that all of the staff at Brinkley have been putting in has begun to be reflected in our school's data.

"Brinkley Grove is now in line with the national average and this year our children's reading results particularly showed improvement.

"We are all committed to continuing this upward trend in results in order to ensure good outcomes for all of our children."

The full table

Hamilton Primary School 95%

Home Farm Primary School 90%

Fordham All Saints Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School 89%

Millfields Primary School 87%​

St Teresa's Catholic Primary School 84%

Great Bentley Primary School 81%

Colne Engaine Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School 80%

Layer-de-la-Haye Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School 80%​

St Thomas More's Catholic Primary School 80%

Birch Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School 79%

Heathlands Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, West Bergholt 77%

St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Ardleigh 77%​

Langham Primary School 76%​

Alresford Primary School 75%

Kelvedon St Mary's Church of England Primary Academy 75%

Myland Community Primary School 73%

Prettygate Junior School 72%

Copford Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School 70%

Langenhoe Community Primary School and Pre-School 70%

Elmstead Primary School 70%​

The Queen Boudica Primary School 70%

Kendall Church of England Primary School 69%

St Lawrence Church of England Primary School, Rowhedge 69%

Dedham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School 68%

Parsons Heath Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School 68%

Stanway Primary School 68%

Feering Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School 68%​

The Bishop William Ward Church of England Primary School 67%

Highwoods Community Primary School 67%

Baynards Primary School 63%

St John's Green Primary School 63%

St John's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School 63%

Brightlingsea Junior School 63%

Old Heath Community Primary School 62%

Cherry Tree Primary School and Speech and Language Unit 61%

Earls Colne Primary School and Nursery 60%

Roach Vale Primary School 60%

St George's Church of England Primary School, Great Bromley 60%

St Peter's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Coggeshall 60%

Gosbecks Primary School 59%

Stanway Fiveways Primary School 59%

Mersea Island School 58%

Brinkley Grove Primary School 58%

Friars Grove Primary School 55%

Boxted St Peter's Church of England School 55%

St George's New Town Junior School 55%

North Primary School and Nursery 53%

Lexden Primary School with Unit for Hearing Impaired Pupils 53%

Iceni Academy 51%

Great Tey Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School 50%

St Andrew's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Marks Tey 48%

Broomgrove Junior School 47%

Hazelmere Junior School 46%

St James' Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School 46%

Fingringhoe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School 46%

Willow Brook Primary School and Nursery 45%

St Luke's Church of England Controlled Primary School 45%

Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Eight Ash Green and Aldham 43%

Chappel Church of England Controlled Primary School 42%

Unity Primary Academy 40%

Tiptree Heath Primary School 38%

Monkwick Junior School 34%