Staff at 161 schools across Sussex are being rewarded with a School Achievement Award.

The awards, worth around £5,000 for a typical primary school and £25,000 for a secondary school, were announced by School Standards Minister Estelle Morris yesterday.

They were given out in two categories.

The Improvement Awards reward staff in schools where pupil performance in 2000 was substantially better than in 1997 and in schools that have come out of special measures.

The Excellence Awards are for schools where pupil performance in 2000 was better than most schools in similar circumstances.

There were around 6,800 awards made nationally.

Ms Morris said: "I congratulate today's winners. The purpose of these awards is to reward staff teams and to encourage schools to strive for further improvement."

This is the first time Achievement Awards have been given but they will be made annually in the future.

Governing bodies and head teachers are being asked to share the prizes among members of staff.

The 161 winning schools are:

THE schools which received awards are:

All Saints' and St Richard's Church of England Primary School, Heathfield, East Sussex - Improvement;

Arunside Primary School, Horsham, West Sussex - Excellence; Ashurstwood Primary School, Ashurstwood, West Sussex - Improvement; Bartons Infant School, Bognor Regis, West Sussex - Improvement; Beckley Church of England Primary School, Rye, East Sussex - Improvement; Benfield Junior School, Brighton and Hove - Improvement; Bevendean Primary School, Brighton and Hove - Improvement; Billingshurst Infant School, Billingshurst, West Sussex - Excellence; Birdham CofE Primary School, Birdham, West Sussex - Improvement; Bishop Luffa Church of England School, Chichester, West Sussex - Excellence; Bonners Church of England Primary School, Uckfield, East Sussex - Excellence; Bramber First School, Worthing, West Sussex - Improvement; Broad Oak Community Primary School, Heathfield, East Sussex - Excellence; Camelsdale First School, Camelsdale, West Sussex - Improvement; Cardinal Newman Catholic School, Hove, Brighton and Hove - Excellence; Castledean School, Brighton and Hove - Excellence; Chailey School, Lewes, East Sussex - Excellence; Coldean Infant School, Brighton, Brighton and Hove - Improvement; Coldean Junior School, Brighton, Brighton and Hove - Improvement; Connaught Junior School, Littlehampton, West Sussex - Improvement; Cornfield School, Littlehampton, West Sussex - Excellence; Crowhurst CofE Primary School, Crowhurst, East Sussex - Excellence; Dallington Church of England Primary School, Heathfield, East Sussex - Improvement; Danehill Church of England Primary School, Danehill, East Sussex - Improvement; Davigdor Infant School, Brighton and Hove - Improvement; Desmond Anderson First and Middle School, Tilgate, West Sussex - Improvement; Ditchling St Margarets Church of England Primary School, Ditchling, East Sussex - Improvement; Downs Park School, Brighton and Hove - Excellence; Downs View Special Community School, Brighton and Hove - Excellence; Durrington First School, Worthing, West Sussex - Improvement; Eastbourne CofE Primary School, Easbourne, West Sussex - Improvement; East Preston Infant School, East Preston, West Sussex - Improvement; East Wittering Community School, East Wittering, West Sussex - Improvement; Elm Grove Primary School, Brighton and Hove - Improvement; Falmer High School, Brighton and Hove - Improvement; Ferring CofE Primary School, Ferring, West Sussex - Improvement; Field Place First School, Worthing, West Sussex - Improvement; Fishersgate Community First School, Portslade, West Sussex - Improvement; Fittleworth CofE First School, Fittleworth, West Sussex - Improvement; Framfield Church of England Primary School, Framfield, East Sussex - Excellence; Frant Church of England Primary School, Frant, East Sussex - Improvement; Funtington Primary School, West Ashling, West Sussex - Improvement; Goldstone Junior School, Brighton and Hove - Improvement; Gossops Green Community Middle School, Crawley, West Sussex - Improvement; Grovelands Community School, Hailsham, East Sussex - Improvement; Guestling Bradshaw Church of England Primary School, Hastings, East Sussex - Improvement; Halsford Park Primary School, East Grinstead, West Sussex - Improvement; Hangleton Junior School, Brighton and Hove - Improvement; Helenswood School, Hastings, East Sussex - Excellence; Herne Junior School, Crowborough, East Sussex - Improvement; Herons Dale School, West Sussex - Excellence; Herstmonceux Church of England Primary School, Hermonceux, East Sussex - Improvement; Heyworth Primary School, Haywards Heath, West Sussex - Improvement; Hollycombe Primary School, Liphook, West Sussex - Improvement; Holmbush First School, Shoreham, West Sussex - Improvement; Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Cuckfield, West Sussex - Improvement; Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Lower Beeding, West Sussex - Excellence; Hove Park School & Sixth Form Centre, Brighton and Hove - Excellence; Ifield First School, Crawley, West Sussex - Improvement; Iford and Kingston Church of England Primary School, Lewes, East Sussex - Improvement; Jessie Younghusband Primary School, Chichester, West Sussex - Improvement; Jolesfield CofE Primary School, Partridge Green, West Sussex - Improvement; Kingston Buci First School, Shoreham, West Sussex - Improvement; Laburnum Grove Junior School, Bognor Regis, West Sussex - Improvement; Langley Green First School, Crawley, West Sussex - Improvement; Langley Green Middle School, Crawley, West Sussex - Improvement; Little Horsted Church of England Primary School, Uckfield, East Sussex - Excellence; Littlehaven Infant School, Horsham, West Sussex - Improvement; Longhill High School, Rottingdean, Brighton and Hove - Improvement; Loxwood Primary School, Loxwood, West Sussex - Excellence; Manhood Community College, Selsey, West Sussex - Improvement; Manor Hall Middle School, Southwick, West Sussex - Improvement; Manor Primary School, Uckfield, East Sussex - Improvement; Mark Cross Church of England Primary School, Crowborough, East Sussex - Improvement; Marshlands Primary School, Hailsham, East Sussex - Improvement; Mayfield Church of England Primary School, Mayfield, East Sussex - Improvement;

Middle Street Primary School, Brighton and Hove - Excellence;

Millais School, Horsham, West Sussex - Excellence; Ninfield Church of England Primary School, Battle, East Sussex - Improvement; North Eastern Area Pupil Referral Unit, West Sussex - Improvement; North Mundham Primary School, North Mundham, West Sussex - Improvement; Northgate First School, Northgate, West Sussex - Improvement; Northiam Church of England Primary School, Rye, East Sussex - Improvement; Oakfield Middle School, Lancing, West Sussex - Improvement; Palatine School, Worthing, West Sussex - Excellence; Parkland Junior School, Eastbourne, East Sussex - Improvement; Patcham House Special School, Brighton and Hove - Excellence; Patcham Junior School, Brighton and Hove - Improvement; Peacehaven Infant School, Peacehaven, East Sussex - Improvement; Peasmarsh Church of England Primary School, Peasmarsh, East Sussex - Improvement; Peter Gladwin Primary School, Brighton and Hove - Improvement; Petworth CofE Primary School, Petworth, West Sussex - Improvement; Pevensey and Westham CofE Primary School, Pevensey, East Sussex - Improvement; Queen's Park Primary School, Brighton and Hove - Excellence; Ringmer Community College, Ringmer, East Sussex - Improvement; Robsack Wood Community Primary School, Hastings, East Sussex - Improvement; Rose Green Junior School, Rose Green, West Sussex - Improvement; Rotherfield Primary School, Rotherfield, East Sussex - Improvement; Rumboldswhyke CofE Infants' School, Chichester, West Sussex - Improvement; Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Hastings, East Sussex - Improvement; Saltdean Primary School, Brighton and Hove - Improvement; Sedlescombe CofE Primary School, East Sussex - Improvement; Seymour First and Middle School, Broadfield, West Sussex - Improvement; Sheddingdean Community Primary School, Burgess Hill, West Sussex - Improvement; Shelley Primary School, Broadbridge Heath, West Sussex - Improvement; Shinewater Primary School, Eastbourne, East Sussex - Improvement; Sidley Community Primary School, Bexhill, East Sussex - Improvement; Southgate First School, Southgate, West Sussex - Improvement; Southgate West First School, Southgate, West Sussex - Improvement; Southway Junior School, Burgess Hill, West Sussex - Improvement; St Andrew's CofE (Aided) Primary School, Brighton and Hove - Excellence; St Augustine's CofE Primary School, Scaynes Hill, West Sussex - Improvement; St Catherine's Catholic Primary School, Littlehampton, West Sussex - Improvement; St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, Crawley, West Sussex -Improvement; St James' Community Primary School, Chichester, West Sussex - Improvement; St John's Meads Church of England Primary School, Eastbourne, East Sussex - Excellence; St Leonards CofE Primary School, St Leonards, East Sussex - Improvement; St Leonard's Community Infant School, Horsham, West Sussex - Improvement; St Luke's Infant School, Brighton and Hove - Improvement; St Luke's Junior School, Brighton and Hove - Excellence; St Mark's CofE Primary School, Staplefield, West Sussex - Improvement; St Mary and St Paul CofE First School, Harting, West Sussex - Excellence; St Mary Magdalene's Catholic Primary School, Bexhill, East Sussex - Improvement; St Marys Catholic Primary School, Crowborough, East Sussex - Improvement; St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Worthing, West Sussex - Improvement; St Mary's CofE Primary School, Pulborough, West Sussex - Improvement; St Michael's Church of England Primary School, Rye, East Sussex - Excellence; St Nicolas' CofE Junior School, Brighton and Hove - Improvement; St Peter's CofE Primary School, Henfield, West Sussex -Improvement; St Peter's Community Infant School, Brighton and Hove - Improvement; St Philip Howard Catholic High School, Barnham, West Sussex - Improvement; St Philip's Catholic Primary School, Arundel, West Sussex - Improvement; St Robert Southwell Catholic Primary School, Horsham, West Sussex - Improvement; St Wilfrid's Catholic Comprehensive School, Crawley, West Sussex - Improvement; St Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School, Burgess Hill, West Sussex - Improvement; Stafford Junior School, Eastbourne, East Sussex - Improvement; Stanford Infant School, Brighton and Hove - Improvement; Stone Cross School, Pevensey, East Sussex - Excellence; Stonegate Church of England Primary School, Wadhurst, East Sussex - Improvement; The Cavendish School, Eastbourne, East Sussex - Excellence; The Forest School, Horsham, West Sussex - Improvement; The Gattons Infant School, Burgess Hill, West Sussex - Improvement; The Medmerry Primary School, Selsey, West Sussex - Improvement; The Weald School, Billingshurst, West Sussex - Improvement; The Willows First School, Lancing, West Sussex - Improvement; The Windmills Junior School, West Sussex - Improvement; Thornberry Middle School, Lancing, West Sussex - Improvement; Ticehurst CofE Primary School, Wadhurst, East Sussex - Improvement; Tollgate Junior School, Eastbourne, East Sussex - Improvement; Turners Hill CofE Primary School, Crawley, West Sussex - Improvement; Upper Beeding Primary School, Upper Beeding, West Sussex - Improvement; Wadhurst CofE Primary School, Wadhurst, East Sussex - Improvement; Warnham CofE Primary School, Warnham, West Sussex - Excellence; Warninglid Primary School, Warnlinglid, West Sussex - Improvement; West Blatchington Junior School, Brighton and Hove - Improvement; West Sussex PRU South, Worthing, West Sussex - Excellence; West Wittering Parochial CofE School, West Wittering, West Sussex - Improvement; Westdene Primary School, Brighton and Hove - Improvement; William Penn Primary School, West Sussex - Improvement; Woodingdean Primary School, Brighton and Hove - Improvement; Yapton CofE Primary School, Yapton, West Sussex - Improvement.