ACROSS-THE-BOARD improvements in pupils' Key Stage Test results have delighted education officials in Hartlepool.

Provisional results for the tests sat by all seven, 11 and 14-year-olds reveal that increasing numbers of youngsters are achieving the levels expected of them.

The most significant achievements are improvements of five per cent in mathematics and seven per cent in science at Key Stage two and a seven per cent improvement in science at Key Stage three.

Director of education Jeremy Fitt said yesterday: "the results confirm the views of our teachers, heads and local education advisers who realise that our primary literacy and numeracy strategies are having a substantial impact on standards.

"Hartlepool schools introduced aspects of the Key Stage three literacy and numeracy strategies in all schools last year and I expect to see even more progress reflected in results next year as these strategies become better embedded."

Councillor Brian Littlefair, chairman of Hartlepool Borough Council's education and childcare board, said: "These are very encouraging results and I pay tribute to the hard work of Hartlepool pupils and teachers, strongly supported by the education department officers and advisors.

"Nevertheless, we must still acknowledge that we have some way to go as a town before our results are up with national averages across the range of indicators."