State primary school heads have explained the background to pupils' outstanding results in the national Year 6 tests.

At Clore Shalom in Hertfordshire, head Sheree Oxenham was "ecstatic" that all its 11-year-olds had reached the Department of Education's target Level 4 score in maths, reading and writing in the Key Stage 2 tests.

"It is fantastic news and our teachers have put in a great effort to get us up from the 97 per cent we had last year," she said. "We've done a lot of work on pupils by teaching them to be independent learners and critical thinkers.

"Teachers have put in a great amount of effort and the curriculum is fun and enjoyable."

The performance lifted Clore Shalom into the top 100 primaries at number 72.

Hendon's Independent Jewish Day School, the North Cheshire Primary and Manchester's King David Primary also had a 100 per cent success rate at Level 4.

The majority of Jewish schools scored at least 80 per cent at Level 4 with many pupils surpassing the national target.

Seventy-eight per cent of pupils at the co-educational Akiva Primary in Finchley attained the higher Level 5 standard in maths, reading and writing.

Akiva head Susy Stone attributed the results to an action plan giving support to more able pupils.

In Redbridge, 93 per cent of Clore Tikva's Year 6 group of 61 pupils reached Level 4.

Head Lena Rosenberg also noted a rise in those achieving higher grades.

"This year 60 per cent got Level 5 in reading compared to last year's 40 per cent.

"Our approach has been to link Year 6 teaching with secondary school teaching and focusing on target setting with individual pupils."

Hertsmere Jewish Primary head Steven Isaacs was encouraged that the school was one of the top performing in Radlett, with 95 per cent of pupils achieving Level 4 and 30 per cent reaching Level 5.

"This is a tribute to our highly dedicated staff and supportive parent body," he said.

"We have a creative curriculum that places great emphasis on the core areas of literacy and numeracy."

In Brent, Sinai Jewish Primary was one of the top performing schools in the London borough with 93 per cent of pupils attaining Level 4.

At North West London Jewish Day School 91 per cent of 11-year-olds achieved the standard.

Board of Deputies senior vice-president Laura Marks was heartened by the results. "We are delighted that our schools are so successful with their well-integrated religious and secular curricula," she said.

"Jewish schools show how faith schools can equip pupils for the future according to their own ethos whilst instilling a sense of modern Britain and its values at the same time."