PUPILS are living up to their mission to be the best they can as their success marks another milestone in a school’s impressive turnaround.

High scores by children at Carlisle’s Yewdale Primary School in its Key Stage Two results have placed the youngsters in the top six per cent of primaries nationally.

The results are another sign of the progress being made at the primary, which was placed into special measures in March 2014 after inspectors ruled that a fall in teaching standards had caused a decline in pupils’ progress and attainment.

Since converting to an academy as part of the Cumbria Education Trust (CET) there have been impressive improvements, confirmed by Ofsted in July 2018. They highlighted a significant step-change for the better in teaching and learning by grading Yewdale as good.

That has now been backed up by the the best ever results at Key Stage Two from the SATS tests sat by children in Year Six.

Eighty-three per cent of children reached the expected standard in all three areas - reading, writing and maths. This included 58 per cent of pupils achieving the higher standard in reading and 38 per cent the higher standard in maths, both well in excess of the national average of about 27 per cent.

Head of school Joanne Lloyd said: “This is down to a lot of hard work from both staff and children.

“The children have developed a respect for themselves and wanted to ‘be the best they can be’ which is our trust motto, and showed real determination, resilience and responsibility to their own learning in order to achieve this.

“Staff across the school are committed to the journey the school is on and our vision is one that places the children at the heart of all we do. The hard work we put in to educate and support children has really paid off.”

The results in reading and maths place Yewdale in the top six per cent of all schools in the country for attainment. They are also in the top four per cent for the progress of children from their starting points at the end of Year Two, according to figures from education analysts the Fischer Family Trust.

Mrs Lloyd, who joined in September 2016 and took over the school’s leadership earlier this year, added: “It’s not just about being proud of the children who achieved the expected standard or better. Being in the top four per cent of primary schools for our progress shows that all children matter to us.

“Children who have made amazing progress from their different starting points are still recognised. It’s the picture of each individual child’s journey that needs to be celebrated. Every child deserves to be proud of what they have personally achieved.

“I am delighted with these results. It proves to me that we have a fabulous teaching team who want to ensure that our children get the best from their school experience.”

CET chief executive Lorrayne Hughes said: “We are rightly proud of the children and staff but we should also recognise the contribution made by the parents at Yewdale School.

“They know that regular and timely attendance is important and instil this in their children. Success in education is about partnerships, and Yewdale School is now at the heart of its community.”