BOYS who started secondary school in East Lancashire this year are among the brightest lads in a decade in the area.

Results from exams taken in May by 11-year-olds in the county show a dramatic narrowing of the gap between boys and girls from 1998 to 1999.

The trend is similar elsewhere in the country and represents success for government and council policies aimed at closing the gap which has, in recent years, being growing.

Results for Burnley, Pendle, Rossendale, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley show that in English the gap between the number of boys and girls achieving the required levels narrowed from 15 per cent to nine per cent.

In maths it narrowed from nine per cent to no difference at all and in science it narrowed from three per cent to one per cent. GCSE exam results also showed a narrowing of the gap in success between boys and girls and the same trend was evident among other age groups.

Results for the children in Blackburn and Darwen showed boys have improved by 13 per cent in English on results in 1998, compared with girls who improved by seven per cent.

In maths boys are now slightly outperforming girls and results are even in science.

County Council education chairman Hazel Harding said: "This is excellent news for Lancashire's pupils. The gap between girls and boys has narrowed and standards have improved across the board."

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