A Keighley school is delighted with its children’s performance in national schools assessments

Merlin Top, which converted to an academy school in April this year, is celebrating its results, and says they show the school has improved continuously during the past two years.

Headteacher Mike Harrison added: “All our children and staff have worked really hard to achieve these results, which clearly demonstrate the progress the school has made since 2011.

“We’ve achieved this under new leadership and with a much higher expectation of learners. I’m pleased to report children and teaching staff are rising to these expectations and outcomes are improving as a result, particularly for boys.

“We’re beginning to see a positive shift in confidence and outlook throughout the entire school, which leads me to believe these improving results are fully sustainable.

“Last November, the school was judged by Ofsted to no longer have ‘serious weaknesses’. These results show Merlin Top is on course to be graded ‘good’ at its next inspection.”

The year six headline figures for the latest test results indicate Merlin Top’s boys have done particularly well. All of them gained at least Level 4+ in maths, and almost all of them managed the same benchmark rating in the new spelling and grammar test.

Roger Alston, chief executive of Northern Education Trust, which sponsors the academy, said: “This is the latest school to become part of our group of academy schools, so we’re working very closely with the leadership team and monitoring progress so we can provide Mike and his team with the benefit of our vast experience.”