A WEST Cumbrian primary school has been ranked 18th in the UK, based on its examination results.

Bookwell Primary School, in Egremont, was placed 18th out of 250 top performing state primary schools in the 2020 edition of ‘Parent Power, The Sunday Times Schools Guide’, which is now in its 27th edition.

The guide identifies the highest achieving schools in the UK, based on their most recent SATS test results.

Scores for reading, GPS (grammar, punctuation and spelling) and maths are scaled and averaged.

Average scores of 100 represents the expected standard children should achieve by the end of Year 6.

A score of 110 or above in any of the three measures indicates children working at a ‘higher’ level of attainment.

Bookwell scored an aggregate score of 339 from their 2018 results, achieving 112 in reading; 111 in maths and 116 in grammar.

Headteacher Russell Hardy attributes the excellent ranking and results to the school’s approach to support pupils without putting pressure on them.

He said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be recognised for all the hard work we do at Bookwell.

“We have a very positive mindset and a fantastic team, who go above and beyond what is asked of them.

“The results achieved reflect the hard work and resilience of the children during their time at our school and all the support we receive from our parents and the school community.”

The only other Cumbrian primary that made the 250 list was Yarlside in Barrow, coming 38th with an aggregate score of 337.

Professor Alan Smithers compiled the report for The Sunday Times Schools Guide. It suggested that state funded primaries are outperforming many preparatory schools which enter their children for SATS tests.

He also attributes hard work and ability to the results, rather than other variables. He said: “Rather than family wealth and income, the main drivers of school achievement may well be culture, hard work and — dare one say it — ability. The quality of leadership and of the teachers is also very important and this is underlined by the regular presence of particular schools at the top of the tree, in spite of intake fluctuations.”