APPLAUSE should echo through the corridors of schools which have surpassed expectations in the Key Stage 2 results table.

And we are blessed to have a lot to celebrate in north Essex.

So many schools have produced results which are above the national average, so many success stories.

Exams these days are hard, many would argue too hard for little ones.

And the constant Government scrutiny puts teachers, parents and the pupils under enormous pressure.

Of course, the Department for Education is right to hold schools to task.

Education is so important, a cornerstone for life, and children should be stretched to reach their potential.

However, what is also interesting from our articles today is the comments of the headteachers.

They speak of children being rounded and having a full curriculum - despite the increasingly difficult financial pressures.

One wise headteacher said: “Show me the child when they are 25 years old and I will tell you whether they have had a good education.”

A good education is about more than just exam results.

It is about engendering a love of learning, of encouraging creativity, of building self-esteem and making the child a resilient, strong and happy person.

With these attributes they can go on to have a good and productive life.

Exam results are important, of course, but they are not the be all and end all.