Small school shines

A SCHOOL too small to feature in the Government league tables has been nominated for a national award from the Department for Education and Skills.

St Mark s Primary School, in Hadlow Down, has been nominated by East Sussex Education Department as the school with the highest level of pupil achievement and best all round school improvement in the Small Schools Category across the county.

The school will now go up against similarly nominated schools across Britain. The final result will be announced in February next year.

Head teacher Verity Poole said the nomination had rounded off an excellent year for the school. She said: 'We are all absolutely thrilled that St Mark s has been nominated for this award. Children, staff and parents have worked hard over the last two years to further improve the school.

'A very good Ofsted report published in January, the school s best ever SAT results in July and the completion of our new school building in September. This nomination has rounded off an excellent year at St Mark s.

She added: 'As a small school 10 pupils or less in each year group we are advised by the DfES not to publish our SAT results for reasons of confidentiality. Schools like St Marks, therefore, do not appear in school league tables, so this award is important as it is a way of showing members of the community just how good we are!

PICTURED: Head Verity Poole with pupils Nia Coleman, Stephie Jones, Ryan Strudwick and Matthew Hooker. L52052.