Test results for 14-year-olds have improved in Oxfordshire for the third consecutive year led by English, maths and science.

Delighted teachers are hoping the results will have a knock-on effect on GCSE scores in two years time.

Provisional Key Stage Three national test results show that Oxfordshire is two points above the national average in English.

It has increased its average score from 73 per cent in 2004 to 76 per cent in 2005. In Maths the results rose from 76 per cent in 2004 to 77 per cent in 2005, putting the county three points above the national average.

Science improved from 70 per cent in 2004 to 74 per cent in 2005, making the county four points above the national average.

Michael Waine, Oxfordshire County Council cabinet member for schools, said: "It is good to see Oxfordshire schools making year-on-year improvements and performing above the national averages.

"These results are a credit to the hard work and efforts of pupils and teachers.

"This gives us a good basis on which to build and will, hopefully, feed into these pupils' GCSE performances in due course.

"We shall continue, together with schools, to help young people fulfil their potential."

Fiona Hammans, head- teacher at Banbury School, said: "Our Key Stage Three results have been above what we had predicted from Key Stage Two (the exams taken by children when they are 11) and our GCSE results this year are much higher than the year before."

She said last year 31 per cent of GCSE passes were at A to C, compared to 43 per cent this year, and expected those figures to keep rising following the success of pupils in the Key Stage Three exams.

Clive Hallett, secretary of the Oxfordshire branch of the National Association of Headteachers, said: "I'm delighted that the exam policy that has worked so well in primary schools has worked well in secondary schools.

"What has happened is that the SATS successes in primary schools are continuing into secondary schools.

"Although these exams have been criticised by a large number of people, they are pretty popular and are getting the results."