SCHOOL staff and pupils are celebrating being named in the top 100 prep schools in the UK.

St Mary’s Lower School, in Copford, was named as the 85th best in the Sunday Times’ schools guide supplement, published last Sunday.

Rankings are calculated on the basis of fee-paying schools’ results at Key Stage Two.

“Small classes and attention to the best methods of encouraging each girl to achieve her potential mean that our girls’ academic results at Year Six are impressive, whatever their starting point,” said Hilary Vipond, head at St Mary’s.

She added: “Although we are an academic school, our pupils also take an active part in school life, enjoying a broad and varied education in a warm, happy environment with plenty of opportunities to be involved in the arts, sport and a huge range of activities.”