YORK schools have produced record results in Key Stage 3 assessments, according to Government league tables published today.

New Value Added Measure figures see City of York schools placed sixth out of 150 local authority areas in Britain.

The figures show how much pupils' performance has improved at the schools. Between Key Stages 2 and 3, York's valued added score was 100.7, significantly above the national average of 99.9.

The core subject assessment results, which give percentages for English, mathematics and science, put York in 19th place in the country.

Patrick Scott, the council's director of education and leisure, said: "We are delighted with this year's Key Stage 3 performance.

"Not only have schools produced their best ever results in English, mathematics and science, but they have improved their value added performance.

"To be ranked sixth in the country is a fantastic achievement for York schools."

At level 5 and above, the expected level of achievement for 14-year-olds, York schools perform well above the national average in all subjects, with 76 per cent of young people achieving the expected level in English, compared with 69 per cent nationally.

In mathematics, York schools achieved 77 per cent, compared with a national figure of 71 per cent, and in science the York figure was 74 per cent, compared with 68 per cent nationally.

Top performing York schools were Archbishop Holgate's CE school, All Saints' RC School, and Manor CE School.

Brian Crosby, head teacher at Manor School, which produced a record 93 per cent level 5 achievement in English, said he was "absolutely delighted" with the results.

John Harris, headmaster of Archbishop Holgate's School, which produced York's top Value Added Measure figure, said: "We are very pleased - there's been a great deal of very hard work from pupils and staff, and a lot of support from parents."

Coun Carol Runciman, executive member for education, said: "This is wonderful news for York schools. I would like to offer my congratulations to all those pupils and staff who have worked hard towards achieving this great set of results.

"I am particularly pleased that we have improved our 'value added' performance. They are a much better indicator of school performance than traditional league tables as they take account of how pupils improve over their school career."

Updated: 09:48 Wednesday, December 17, 2003