Pupils in Oxfordshire have continued to perform above the national average for results in English, maths and science at the age of 14, according to Government figures.

Results published today reveal that 73 cent of Oxfordshire pupils passed Key Stage Three English at Level Five last year, compared with the national average of 71 per cent.

In maths, 76 per cent passed, against 73 per cent nationally, while the pass rate for science was 70 per cent in Oxfordshire, compared with 66 per cent nationally.

The results were welcomed by headteachers and Oxfordshire County Council, particularly as they showed an improvement on the 2003 English and maths results.

They represent a two per cent increase last year in the number of Oxfordshire children achieving the expected Level Five of attainment compared with 2003 in maths, and a one per cent rise in English.

However, there was a five per cent fall in the number of pupils achieving the mark in science -- from 75 per cent in 2003 to 70 per cent last year.

Nationally, the number reaching the required standard in the science test fell from 68 to 66 per cent.

Tony Crabbe, the council's executive member for schools, said: "We must now try to extend the gap between Oxfordshire's performance and the national averages even further.

"We need to pay special attention to science as there has been a drop in this year's results.

"Officers will be working closely with schools to bring about improvements."

Overall, the majority of Oxfordshire schools performed well in Value Added figures, showing the progress pupils have made since Key Stage Two tests when they were aged 11.

Twenty-two of the 32 schools achieved figures above 100, placing Oxfordshire in the top 20 per cent of local authorities.

The Cherwell School, in Marston Ferry Road, Oxford, achieved the best value-added measure, at 101.6.

Headteacher Jill Judson said: "We also did very well in value-added terms for Key Stage Four and what this shows is that staff and students are putting in a lot of hard work. I'm delighted by this success. The school will be continuing to work towards high achievement."

Seventy-nine per cent of the school's Key Stage Three pupils passed maths at level five and 75 per cent in science, higher than both the national and county averages.

But there was a significant difference in the number of children doing well at English. At 69 per cent, the school's figures were lower than local and national UK averages.

Mrs Judson put the drop down to marking standards and said the school was "very disappointed". She added: "As an English teacher, I have been unhappy with the way exams have been marked.

"Like many schools, we sent papers back to be remarked last year, but we're still not happy. This is a problem nationally."

With a figure of 35.6, Cherwell was also among top performers in Oxfordshire for average point scores. Gillots School, in Henley, had the highest average point score, at 36.9.

Lord Williams's School, in Thame, which entered 327 pupils, the highest number in the county, also did well, particularly in English, science and the value-added measure.

Deputy headeacher David Wybron said: "We feel the figures are good, reflecting steady progress. We're particularly pleased that the results in maths have risen significantly."

At Marlborough School in Woodstock, headteacher Julie Fenn said pupils and staff had done "exceptionally well".

"We're very pleased," she said. "It is the result of incredibly hard work on the part of the students and real commitment on the part of the teaching staff to make sure the students achieve the high standards they can in all core subjects."

Jeremy Cunningham, the headteacher of Abingdon's John Mason School, said: "I'm very concerned that this entire exercise is based on three short tests at the age of 11 and three short tests at the age of 14. It can have the effect of encouraging schools to concentrate on a very narrow range of achievement."

The average point score per pupil for Oxfordshire was 34.7.

While this was higher than Northamptonshire, figures show Oxfordshire is still lagging behind other adjacent counties, including Buckinghamshire (37.1), Gloucestershire (35.7) and Wiltshire (35.1).

Speaking about Oxfordshire's results being lower than neighbouring counties, Ms Fenn added: "I think teachers, parents and pupils do as well as we possibly can. It's certainly not through lack of effort."