TWO of the borough's schools are among the top 150 primary schools in the country, the latest league table has revealed.

The Priory Primary School, in Pamber End, and Sherborne St John Church of England Primary School achieved high rankings in the annual table, based on pupils' performance in Standard Attainment Tests (SATs) in English, maths and science in Year 6.

Schools were ranked by totalling the percentage of children in each of the country's 13,500 primaries who reached the expected standard for 11-year-olds in all the tests.

The Priory Primary School and Sherborne St John Primary School both scored 300 - the maximum possible score. The two are among eight schools in Hampshire that scored 300 and they are at the top of Hampshire's league table. Their slightly different ranking positions are based on the number of pupils who sat the tests.

David Hale, headteacher of The Priory, said: "I am really pleased because it just shows the quality of teaching we have got at the school and I am delighted for the pupils and staff.

"We always seem to score really highly every year so it is sustained good teaching."

"I am retiring in the summer so I am really pleased that, in my retirement year, we have done so well."

Tony Cox, headteacher of Sherborne St John Primary School, said: "We are very pleased with the achievements of our pupils.

"I think their results are a credit to their hard work, the strong support of the school staff and, of course, the care and encouragement of their parents."

Councillor David Kirk, Hampshire County Council's education chief, said: "Congratulations to these schools whose fine results have put them among the top schools across the country.

"It is a mark of the hard work and dedication which goes on in them, and, indeed, in all our schools, and means that many more children have been well prepared for their future learning in the county's secondary schools."

Staff at Chineham Park Primary School, in Popley, Basingstoke, also had particular reason to celebrate after the school - which, last year, was the 11th-worst primary school in the country - improved its performance significantly.

In last year's league tables, Chineham Park scored just 95 points out of a possible 300 and was ranked one of the worst out of 13,562 schools covered. But, this year, the school has nearly doubled its points to 171 and has moved out of the bottom 200.

Hampshire scored higher than most local authorities in England that are responsible for education, reaching 38th in a league table of 150 authorities.

The county's schools achieved an average score of 248 points in the ranking system, just slightly less than last year's score of 250.

North Hampshire primary school league table School Hants Ranking Score Sherborne St John Church of England Primary School 1 (out of 305) 300 The Priory Primary School, Pamber End 7 300 North Waltham Primary School, North Waltham 12 294 Oakley Church of England Junior School, Oakley 23 290 Tadley Community Primary School, Tadley 36 285 St Mary's Church of England Junior School, Old Basing 37 285 Greenfields Junior School, Hartley Wintney 45 282 Kempshott Junior School, Basingstoke 59 278 Silchester Church of England Primary School, Silchester 63 277 Hook Junior School, Hook 78 274 Four Lanes Community Junior School, Basingstoke 87 271 St Bede's Catholic Primary School, Basingstoke 90 271 Overton Church of England Primary School, Overton 94 270 St Mark's Church of England Primary School, Basingstoke 100 268 Preston Candover Church of England Primary School, Basingstoke 106 267 Castle Hill Junior School, Basingstoke 114 265 Whitchurch Church of England Primary School, Whitchurch 115 265 Kingsclere Church of England Primary School, Kingsclere 122 262 St Anne's Catholic Primary School, Basingstoke 133 259 Woolton Hill Junior School, Woolton Hill 137 257 Mayhill Junior School, Odiham 141 257 Fairfields Primary School, Basingstoke 151 255 Cliddesden Primary School, Cliddesden 153 254 Kings Furlong Junior School, Basingstoke 162 250 vSt John's Church of England Primary School, Basingstoke 165 249 Bramley Church of England Primary School, Bramley 171 247 Burghclere Primary School, Burghclere 172 247 Chalk Ridge Primary School, Basingstoke 179 245 Long Sutton Church of England Primary School, Long Sutton 181 245 Hatch Warren Junior School, Basingstoke 183 245 Bishopswood Junior School, Tadley 198 240 Great Binfields Primary School, Basingstoke 204 238 Whitewater Church of England Primary School, Hook 206 237 Marnel Community Junior School, Basingstoke 208 236 Merton Junior School, Basingstoke 215 233 Rucstall Primary School, Basingstoke 218 231 Burnham Copse Junior School, Tadley 222 230 Winklebury Junior School, Basingstoke 223 230 Oakridge Junior School, Basingstoke 225 230 Manor Field Junior School, Basingstoke 227 229 Park View Junior School, Basingstoke 242 222 Ashford Hill Primary School, Ashford Hill 259 208 Chiltern Primary School, Basingstoke 280 182 South View Junior School, Basingstoke 283 177 Chineham Park Primary School, Basingstoke 288 171