THERE were tales of outstanding individual successes revealed in new-look primary school league tables released this week, but the county's overall performance has stalled below tough government targets.

Two South Lakeland schools found themselves among the best in the country as this year's tables of pupils' results for the national curriculum tests sat by 11-year-olds gave a "value added" measure for the first time.

The score is designed to give a more rounded picture of a school's progress by comparing children's results in the English, maths and science tests sat at seven with those completed before they leave primary school.

Both Allithwaite CE School and St Mary's Catholic Primary at Ulverston were among seven Cumbrian primaries whose "value added" put them in the top five per cent of schools nationally.

Allithwaite had the extra satisfaction of seeing all their pupils achieve a level four in their tests the benchmark score for a typical 11-year-old. This feat was also was matched by Burlington CE School at Kirkby-in-Furness, and Lindal and Marton Primary.

"This is an achievement of the whole school and we can feel justifiably proud of our achievement together," said Allithwaite head teacher Ruth Wall, who put their enviable marks down to consistently good teaching.

But the school report for Cumbria overall, at least in the government's eyes, must read "good but could do better".

In keeping with past form, the county's schools performed above the national average as 75.8 per cent of pupils managed a level four or more in English compared to 74.4 per cent in maths and 89.4 per cent in science. That compares well to the national norm of 75 per cent for English, 73 for maths and 87 for science.

Cumbria County Council education spokesperson Lynn Clark said those figures were something to celebrate.

But the results for English and maths are still a long way short of the Government's target for 85 per cent reaching the level four standard by 2006.

Overall results have not edged any nearer to this goal for two years now and this year they slipped back a fraction.

Cumbria's aggregate score - arrived at by adding together the percentage reaching the required standard in English, maths and science - dropped to 239.6 this year from 241.1 for the last two years. Nationally, the score was 234 for the second year running.

In addition, the county did not have a particularly strong showing in the comparison of value added measures. Cumbria's figure of 99.7 ranked it 110th out of 151 education authorities nationally, compared to Lancashire in 45th place.

In response to a stall in the march of rising standards, schools minister David Miliband said he believed things would improve as a result of the Government agenda to bring together creativity with the focus on numeracy and literacy and by making full use of computer technology.

Meanwhile, a question mark hangs over the future of the curriculum tests which many teachers see as a hindrance rather than a help to children's education and a cause of unnecessary stress for youngsters.

The National Union of Teachers has balloted members on a plan to boycott the exams and the results are due in a few weeks.