Philip Friend, head of Eccleston Mere Primary, was praised by Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Thursday (March 6).

The event, attended by education's elite, was held to mark excellent school leadership. Mr Friend has been given National Leader of Education status (NLE) - one of only 90 headteachers nationwide to achieve such a top role.

His successful 24-year reign of the successful primary - which achieved an outstanding Ofsted report last year - has led to him giving support to other struggling schools in the area.

He said: "I'm merely a representative of the teaching staff, parents and children of the school who make up an excellent team. I was just the lucky one who was given the chance to go down to London and meet with Ed Balls and Gordon Brown.

"It was a humbling experience, especially when we were stood in the lobby with portraits of former prime ministers hanging from the walls."

The Billinge father-of-one, whose daughter attended to Eccleston Mere, said that many teachers do the same.

He said: "The school is so successful, naturally we want our children to benefit from the ethos and learning facilities."

He now works with two other struggling schools in a bid to help turn them round and has had great success with other primary schools in the area.

Last year he helped Haydock English Martyrs School move up the school league tables.

Toby Salt, NCSL's strategic director of school leadership development said: "I am so proud that these school leaders are being honoured in this way. NLE's, supported by their schools, are working extremely hard to ensure that excellent school leadership and the best possible opportunities are available to as many children as possible."