Nine schools in North Tyneside are in the annual report of Her Majesty's chief inspector of education, children's services and skills 2007/8.

Nationally, there are 2,944 outstanding early years and childcare providers, schools, colleges, adult skills and children's homes on the list.

And closer to home, in Tyne and Wear a total of 35 schools, 26 childcare providers and one adult learning provider were judged to be providing outstanding care, education or skills.

The North Tyneside schools on the list are Sir James Knott Memorial Nursery, North Shields; Seaton Terrace Nursery School, Whitley Bay; Shiremoor Primary School; West Moor Primary School; Riverside Primary School, North Shields; Priory Primary School, North Shields; St Thomas More RC High School, North Shields; Glebe School, Whitley Bay; Percy Hedley School, Killingworth.

For Sir James Knott and St Thomas More High, it was the fourth time they had made it onto the list.

Outstanding providers are given a distinctive 'outstanding' logo which they can use on documents and their website to show their achievement.

Christine Gilbert, chief inspector of education, children's services and skills, said: "It's encouraging to see so much outstanding provision across all areas of education and care.

"I pay tribute to all who contributed to this success.

"The number of outstanding providers has risen by 989 compared to last
year's report figures.

"Congratulations are also particularly deserved for those schools and colleges, categorised as outstanding in each of their inspection reports over the past 15 years, and for those schools previously judged inadequate, but now providing outstanding education."