A primary school is looking forward to a successful New Year after its pupils made a dramatic improvement in recent exams to outperform other schools in the county.

Ninety one per cent of pupils at Meryfield Primary School in Theobald Street in Borehamwood received Level 4 or above in reading, writing and maths in last year’s Key Stage 2 exams.

This is compared to the average of 80 per cent of pupils at other schools in the local authority who gained a Level 4 or above, and 75 per cent across the country.

The school has made a dramatic improvement since 2012, when 70 per cent of children achieved the same grade. This is despite Government attempts to make the exams harder by raising the minimum level of performance.

Headteacher Rosemarie Alexander is “delighted” with the results, which were released last month.

She said: “We try to create the very best learning opportunities for each child, as the results show. 

“The children have been with us since reception and they have started to really improve. Our secret is we personalise our teaching to suit every child and their learning styles.

“I’d like to thank my staff for their dedication and hard work and we look forward to continuing this success into the future.”

The school, which has 380 pupils, has almost doubled in size since 2007, adding a new form each year to meet the rising demand for school places.

It has an above average level of disadvantaged children, with 24.4 per cent receiving free school meals.

Parent governor Ben Perry said the school’s achievements were even more spectacular given the number of pupils, 30.5 per cent, who have English as a second language.

He said: “Some 39 languages are spoken by the children at the school. The latest achievement, thanks to the excellent leadership shown by headteacher Rosemarie Alexander and the hard work put in by all the staff at Meryfield, is a major feat in light of the number of disadvantaged pupils and those speaking English as a second language.

“The children have done tremendously well academically and I believe it is largely down to the great pastoral care that the children receive from all of the staff.

“The school is a credit to the diverse community it serves and amid the challenging circumstances is must face on a daily basis.

“For Meryfield to have topped its peers locally and to stand far above the national and Hertfordshire averages is a fantastic achievement for Mrs Alexander and her team of staff.”