Fylde coast primary school league tables 2015

As the first tranche of schools performance tables are released today Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre can proudly boast being among the best in the country when it comes to academic success and adding value to youngsters’ education.

These tables, produced by the Department for Education, are intended to show how our primary schools performed in last year’s Key Stage Two national tests.

Coun John Jones, Blackpool Council’s Cabinet Member for School Improvement, said: “Generally speaking, our primary schools are close to the national average with 79 per cent of all pupils achieving level four in reading, writing and maths.

“Similarly, 70 per cent of disadvantaged pupils achieve that benchmark too, which is a decent position to be in given the problems that the town faces.

“Primary schools make a huge difference to children at a vital time in their lives. A settled and encouraging school placement can not only teach children about reading, writing and their arithmetic but it can also be really important in shaping how they develop socially.”

He added: “Research shows that children are twice as likely to do well at primary school if they eat a healthy breakfast, and that is why this council is committed to continuing to provide every Blackpool pupil with a free breakfast every morning before school.

“The skills and experiences that children learn at primary school stay with them for the rest of their lives and are so important when it comes to them doing well in their exams, finding jobs and becoming healthy members of their local communities as they grow up.”

Latest figures from the Office for Standards in Education reveal that despite a tough new inspection regime, 89 per cent of Lancashire’s primary-aged children are being taught in a school officially rated good or outstanding by Ofsted. This includes Fylde and Wyre and puts the area in the region’s top 10.

The percentages of pupils in schools that are not good or outstanding are much lower than the national average.

Lancashire County Council’s cabinet member for children, young people and schools, County Coun Matthew Tomlinson, said: “There may be a North-South divide in educational performance across the country, but that certainly doesn’t apply to Lancashire.

“We’re above the national average for our primary schools.”

He added: “I’m really proud of these results. They are a testament to the high quality of the teaching in our schools and the commitment of pupils and their families to learning. And they show that the overall standard of education in Lancashire is up there.

“We certainly won’t rest on our laurels though and we’ll continue to strive to fulfil our aim that all our pupils are able to attend a school which is rated as good or outstanding. We have improved on our performance last year and we’ll work hard to continue this trend next year.”

Graham Clements, assistant headteacher at Medlar with Wesham CE Primary said: “ I believe that our school is a very special place but it’s not the building or facilities that make it unique.

“The four walls of each classroom, the hall where we gather for prayers, the coat pegs on the corridors and the small tables with their bright blue chairs – at first glance they are no different from those that can be found in so many other schools.

“But when our children arrive in the morning everything changes. The building comes to life with an abundance of smiles, countless acts of kindness, leaps of faith in learning and a sense of shared adventure about the day that lies ahead.

“As a school, we gather together, just like a family, in order to support each other along the way. We celebrate our achievements, no matter how small, and when there are a few bumps in the road, our school family helps us to carry on and make progress.

“As a teacher, it is a privilege to see this happen on a daily basis and, on a personal note, I am truly honoured in having played a small part in the lives of pupils as they start their journey through life.

“Our school motto is ‘more than I am’ and so it gives me a great deal of pride to say that we help not just the children but everyone in our family to achieve this goal.”

Click the links to view tables from the Department for Education