AS the recently retired headteacher of Wolfenden School, which on September 1 this year amalgamated with its neighbour Chalfont School to form the new Valley School, I would like to write these lines.

The old Wolfenden School will not appear in the Autumn Year 6 League Tables of SAT results which are published nationally. That is common practice in these circumstances, but the work and performance of the children and staff involved with the Summer 2003 SAT can not be allowed to pass without due recognition.

In our 97 per cent "English as an Additional Language" setting to achieve 73 per cent Level 4 or 5 is highly creditable and echoes our recent years in performance.

To achieve 100 per cent Level 4 or 5 in both mathematics and science was outstanding by any standards.

Furthermore, to be identified as the top primary school in Bolton LEA in respect of pupil progress measured against pupil ability speaks for itself.

I wish to record my gratitude and congratulations to all those involved. Wolfenden School achieved highly for many years and has passed on a legacy of high academic expectation and standard to the new fledgling Valley School -- a point that I hope is appreciated by local politicians, education officers and governors.

I wish everyone at the Valley School the best of luck in the future.

G J Bedford

(Headteacher, retired -- Wolfenden School)