Top primary takes the Olympics as inspiration

A school that uses the Olympics and England's World Cup bid to make lessons "exciting" has topped the results table in London.

Headteacher Karen Willis said she was "staggered and overwhelmed" after St James' Church of England primary in Bermondsey achieved 100 per cent Sats pass rates. It also gained a "value added" score of 104 per cent - a score for the extra boost that pupils are given.

St James', which has space for 210 children, is in one of the poorest areas of the capital. Mrs Willis said: "We have to give children as wide a range of experiences and as much life experience as possible. Just to make learning exciting and fun, that's the key."

Children are given time for sport, drama and dancing, and all pupils learn a foreign language from the age of five.

Mrs Willis said: "We have developed a creative curriculum that's personalised to the child and links to real life." Another innovation is evening classes for parents who feel they lack the academic ability to help their children with homework.

Mrs Willis said after topping the Sats table today: "It's lovely but it couldn't happen without the fantastic team we have here."