Ref. 28327-58St Luke's special school has been ranked among the best in the country for its performance at Key Stage three.

Pupils at the school, which looks after children with emotional and behavioural difficulties, scored an average of 26.3.

But the really remarkable figure was the added value score of 106.4, which puts it in the top five per cent in the country in terms of students' improvement since Key Stage two.

Headteacher Jinna Male said the results were a reflection of the dedication of pupils and staff.

She said: "We are all delighted, I had no idea we had done so well.

"I think we get good results because we treat all pupils as individuals.

"All pupils want to do well and succeed, but often they just need the opportunity to do that.

"Some children find it difficult to fit into a large school, and we offer a supportive environment in which they feel comfortable."

The results are all the more impressive because three years ago the school was put into special measures after failing an Ofsted report.

The school, which has 56 pupils between 11 and 16, was taken out of special measures in November 2001.