CONGRATULATIONS to headteacher Pat Ashton and her staff for putting Walmsley School top of Bolton's primary school performance tables for 2001.

Mrs Ashton says the key to this year's success is a simple one -- hard work and dedication.

And as a result the Egerton school not only tops Bolton's tables with 100 per cent of pupils achieving Level 4 in their English, Maths and Science tests but manages to reach equal 11th place in the country.

It is good to see the hard work of staff at a Bolton school put them on the national map.

And we also support Mrs Ashton's words that this position should not only reflect on the school's academic success but on the overall broad-based education it offers.

Bolton always does well in the tables, but it is also particularly pleasing to see a certain number of schools whose results have gone rapidly upwards.