NEIGHBOURING schools have been personally congratulated by politicians for achieving some of the country's best results.

The education secretary and school standards minister penned letters to Buckland CE Primary School and Longcot and Fernham CE Primary School, revealing they had placed in the top one per cent of schools nationwide for Key Stage 2 exams.

Both schools near Faringdon, which boast 'outstanding' Ofsted ratings, saw 100 per cent of pupils achieve the expected standard - the only schools in Oxfordshire to achieve this.

The results refer to the Year 6 SATs exams pupils took last year, when they were aged 11.

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The letter, published on both schools' websites before half term, said: "We would like to congratulate you, your staff and your pupils on the very high standard of achievement demonstrated in the Key Stage 2 assessments last year.

"Your school's results show that by improving the percentage of pupils achieving the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics by 21 [Buckland]/ 24 [Longcot] percentage points, 100 per cent of your pupils reached or exceeded the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2.

"This means that your school is in the top one per cent of primary schools in England.

"We want to equip every child with the fluency in reading, writing and mathematics necessary to prepare them for a successful secondary education and beyond, and your school has provided this to all your pupils.

"Thank you for producing such high standards through your hard work and professionalism, and congratulations again to you and your staff for all you have achieved."

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It was signed by the education secretary Damian Hinds and the minister of state for school standards, Nick Gibb, and dated February 2019.

In a letter to parents, Buckland headteacher Louise Warren said she was 'delighted' by the recognition and said the school placed 18th nationally.

Both schools are academies run by Faringdon Academy of Schools.

Pupils are said to be meeting the expected standard if they achieve a 'scaled score' of 100 or more in their reading and maths tests, and their teacher assesses them as 'working at the expected standard' or better in writing.

Nationally in 2018, 64 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

According to the Government's school comparison website, five other Oxfordshire schools saw 90 per cent or more achieve the expected standard: Dr South's CE Primary School in Islip, Whitchurch Primary School near Reading, Chadlington CE Primary School near Chipping Norton, Cumnor CE Primary School near Oxford, and Hanborough Manor CE Primary School in Long Hanborough.