A successful school has been named in the top 25 nationally for its achievement in a new performance test.

West Lakes Academy is ranked 21st in the country after securing a strong ‘Progress 8’ score, which measures pupils’ progress from the end of primary school to finishing secondary school.

The recently-introduced Progress 8 compares students’ results to the actual achievements of other pupils with the same prior attainment.

Academy principal Jonathan Johnson said: “Our results speak for themselves but each day brings a fresh perspective on the heights we are reaching in educating the children of this area.

“It is a testament to the effort our staff put in to planning amazing lessons, filled with quality teaching, and it’s a reflection of how much work our students put in to their studies.”

The higher the Progress 8 score, the greater the progress made by a pupil compared to the average.

West Lakes Academy’s score of +0.08 places it in a high position nationally, compared with other schools with similar Key Stage 2 data profiles.

The school’s GCSE results have improved over the past seven years with 64% achieving five A*-C grades, including English and maths, in 2016, placing the academy in the top 8 non-selective schools in Cumbria.

And, regarding ‘Progress 8’ scores, the Department for Education website states that there are ‘no better performing similar schools within 75 miles’ of the academy.

It was named the best performing secondary school in West Cumbria when GCSE league tables were released last month.

James Jackson, senior vice principal at the school, said: “If you consider the journey that West Lakes has been on over the last eight years, to see our results now exceeding the national and county averages fills me with immense pride.”

West Lakes Academy, sponsored by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Sellafield Ltd and supported by the University of Central Lancashire, was one of Cumbria’s first academies to open in 2008.