OXFORDSHIRE pupils are continuing to perform better than the national average at the age of 14.

The results of last year's Key Stage Three tests, taken by all 14-year-olds in English, maths and science, were published today.

Top of the county was Matthew Arnold School, in Oxford, where 92 per cent of pupils reached Level Five or higher in English, 86 per cent in maths and 87 per cent in science.

The school had the second-highest 'value-added' score in the county, which measures how much pupils have improved since starting at the school, with pupils achieving two terms' more progress than the national average.

One of the biggest success stories was Peers School, in Littlemore - which will cease to exist at the end of the school year to make way for the city's first academy.

The percentage of students reaching the Level Five standard in English doubled from 36 per cent in 2006 to 72 per cent last year.

Maths and science test scores also rose from 51 and 47 per cent to 60 and 55 per cent respectively.

Cherwell School, in Marston Ferry Road, Oxford, saw the number of its pupils achieving Level Five in English rise by 10 per cent, although percentages in maths and science were slightly down.

But headteacher Jill Judson said the school's value-added scores - which indicated youngsters were nearly two terms ahead of their peers - were a better measure of how it was performing.

Across the county, The Warriner School, in Bloxham, was in second place overall, Langtree School, Woodcote, was third, The Marlborough School, Woodstock, was fourth, and Bartholomew School, Eynsham, was fifth.

Across Oxfordshire, 78 per cent of pupils reached the Level Five benchmark in English, five per cent above the national average. This was an increase on the county's figure of 75 per cent last year. The national average was 73 per cent last year.

In maths, 78 per cent achieved the level in the county, a drop of one per cent on the previous year.

However, the national figure also fell - from 77 per cent in 2006 to 75 per cent last year.

In science, Oxfordshire's level five figure rose slightly from 76 per cent in 2006 to 77 per cent last year. The national average in both years was 72 per cent.

Girls in the county out- performed boys in English last year, with 84 per cent of girls reaching Level Five compared with 72 per cent of boys.

Girls also did better in science - 77 per cent reaching Level Five, against 76 per cent of boys.

But boys' results in maths were better - with 79 per cent reaching Level Five, compared with 77 for girls.

Across the county The Warriner School, in Bloxham, was in second place overall, Langtree School, Woodcote, was third highest achieving, The Marlborough School, Woodstock, was fourth, and Bartholomew School, Eynsham, was fifth.

Larkmead School, Abingdon, had the equal second-highest value-added score in Oxfordshire, on a par with Matthew Arnold School.

Headteacher Chris Harris said: "We are very proud that we have done so well at Key Stage Three and we are proud that we are right at the top of the county table for added value.

"Remembering that many of our students at Larkmead started at below the national average, to make this level of progress shows that the school is working effectively.

"Nevertheless, we will really only be satisfied when we transfer that rate of progress to our Key Stage Four figures, which are good but we would like them to be as excellent as these are."

Chris Bryan, headteacher at St Birinus School, in Didcot, said: "Eighty-one per cent achieved at least Level Five in science and 60 per cent achieved at least Level Six in mathematics.

"We were very pleased indeed with these results as they are a good prediction of potential GCSE results at the end of Year 11."

Nicholas Young, principal at King Alfred's, in Wantage, which ranked 12th in the county, said he was pleased with the results.

But he said: "Although we increasingly feel that the value of these tests is questionable they nevertheless reflect credit on the year group and on the teachers who worked hard on their behalf.

"These students are now well into their GCSE courses, and we anticipate some excellent results in the summer of 2009."

Click here for the 2007 Key Stage 3 school performance tables which you can sort by subject and score, and search areas in and around where you live.