Nearly nine in ten Barnet schools are good or outstanding, according to Ofsted reports from the last year.

From April 2007 to March 2008, 87 per cent of the 46 schools visited by inspectors were placed in one of the two top categories.

This puts Barnet in second place in the Ofsted London league table, behind Hammersmith and Fulham, which had 18 schools inspected in the same period.

Barnet Councillor Fiona Bulmer, cabinet member for children's services, said: "These figures confirm what we have already known for some time: Barnet has outstanding schools that cater for the needs of all children within the borough.

"The hard work of the council, schools and pupils show that the borough is an excellent place for children to be educated and I know that all those involved are continuing to work to improve these fantastic results even further. "

Schools are inspected on a three-year cycle and rated as either outstanding, good, satisfactory or inadequate.