South Marston Primary School has not only come top of the league tables it is also the first Swindon school ever to gain maximum marks.

And acting head teacher Gill Llewellyn has no doubt about the reason for the school's success.

"We have a very strong team here of governors, parents, children and staff in fact the whole school community always pulls together," she said.

"We are of course very pleased and delighted with our results, but we have to keep it in proportion. We have small numbers and we had no special needs children. Having said that they did very well indeed."

And that is something of an understatement because the 18 pupils who took the Key Stage 2 tests achieved 100 per cent passes in all three subjects English, mathematics and science.

But Mrs Llewellyn is quick to point out that other local schools had also done well in the tests.

And she said: "This year we have had groups of children on both Year 2 and Year 6 with no special educational needs.

"It must be remembered that children with special needs who do not reach the Government's required levels of attainment may also have reached excellent standards in relation to their own individual education plans.

"Their success goes unrecognised by official statistics and league tables and they often feel that they have failed."

Mrs Llewellyn was deputy head at the school for six years before taking over as acting head teacher, and is full of praise for the support that parents give the school and their children.

She is also confident that the next generation of pupils to sit the tests next year will also do well.

League tables for Swindon, Wiltshire and Gloucester appear in the Evening Advertiser, edition Thursday, December 7.