Two Cumbrian primary schools have been named among the best in England.

Bookwell Primary School in Egremont listed 18th and Yarlside Academy in Barrow 38th in the list of 250 state primary schools in England complied by The Sunday Times.

The Sunday Times said it had ranked schools by aggregated average scaled scores achieved by children in reading, grammar and maths in SATS exams taken in 2018.

Headteacher at Yarlside Academy, Janine Pierce, said: “I think that it’s a fantastic achievement and it is all down to the dedication and commitment of the school team.

“We prioritise the children’s development when they start with us at age three.

“I think it’s all down to the opportunities and experiences that the children are given.

“The children are given a number of opportunities, even down to sport where we have seen a lot of successes.”

She added: “We incorporate a lot, it’s not all about the test results.

“Everything we take part in, we try hard in.

“It’s all down to the experience that we give them.”

Alan Smithers, writing in the article accompanying the tables, said: “The latest Sunday Times rankings contain a number of surprises.

“They show that results are continuing to improve in the 500 leading primary schools. Another surprise is that state-funded primaries are doing better than many of the rump of prep schools.

“Prep schools do not have to take SATS, but about 150 choose to do so and the results of the leading 75 prep schools are published in Parent Power, released to the public using a Freedom of Information request to the Department for Education.”