TWO Bolton schools have been singled out as being among the best in the country by education watchdogs.

Sharples School and St Joseph's RC High School and Sports College have been included in the Office for Standards in Education Good Schools List 2001-2002 after receiving outstanding inspection reports.

Castle Hill Community Primary and Crompton Fold Primary have also received recognition for significant improvements, as they are both in the list for schools which have moved out of special measures between 2001- 2002.

Each year Ofsted publishes a successful schools list following publication of the Annual Report on Standards and Quality in Education 2001-2002.

The report lists successful schools and colleges that have either received outstanding inspection reports or improved significantly enough to be removed from special measures and no longer considered to be failing schools.

Nationally, 3,302 primary schools ,115 nursery schools and 566 secondary schools and 100 colleges are inspected.

Both Sharples School and St Joseph's are celebrating being two of only 86 secondary schools nationally who made it on to the good schools list.

Nationally, a total of 157 schools have been removed from special measures over the 2001- 2002 period while across England 456 schools have been listed as good schools.

Leo Conley, headteacher at St Joseph's RC High School and Sports College, Chorley New Road, Horwich said good relationships with the community and staff commitment were some of the reasons behind their success.

He said: "Because we are a Catholic school, we have a strong moral code. The school aims to give the children an education that goes beyond work and prepares them for all aspects of life."

Kevin Clarke, headteacher at Sharples School, in Hill Cot Road, said they were all "absolutely delighted" by the news.

He said: "We feel that it is recognition of all the hard work and dedication of everyone associated with the school - our pupils, staff, parents and governors."

Headteacher at Castle Hill Community Primary, Mr Ian Abram, which received recognition for improvements said: We are delighted that the hard work of everyone has been so successful in removing us from Special Measures."