WINKLEIGH Primary School is celebrating after being named as one of the 200 most improved schools in the country by the Department for Education and Skills.

The school, which pledged to improve standards rapidly after it was put on ?special measures? last year, is one of the success stories in the encouraging results across Devon released in the latest league tables.

The department has calculated the sum of each school?s test score as a measure of how it is improving and Winkleigh?s score has gone from 171 in 1999 to 292 in 2002.

This year?s pupils achieved 100 per cent in English and science and 92 per cent in mathematics at level four, which is the expected standard at Key Stage Two, covering the ages from 7 to 11.

Headteacher Jane Rivens, who took up the post of headteacher in April last year, said the school was also really pleased that children had achieved at level five ? 33 per cent in English, 42 per cent in mathematics and 75 per cent in science.

?I am absolutely delighted for the children and for the community,? she said. ?All the staff have put a lot of hard work in to get to this stage.?

Mrs Rivens said threequarters of the teachers were new to the school this year and they had had a very positive impact.

?We are working very much as a team, things are improving within the school and the children are making good progress,? she said.

Winkleigh School has 106 pupils and Mrs Rivens said relationships with parents and the school-community links had got stronger over the past year.

?We are all here to do the best for the children, and parents have a part to play in that,? she said. ?The news that we are within the 200 most improved schools in the country is wonderful.?

One of Mrs Rivens? vows when she took over the role of headteacher after being deputy head at the much larger Torrington Infants School was to make the children feel inspired to learn.

Ofsted inspectors said they were were encouraged by her high expectations and commitment to leading an effective team.

This week?s results have proved that Mrs Rivens is leading an effective team and had a clear view of the important priorities needing action.