By ANISAH ARIF
The best primary school in the UK is based in Bradford, according to a new comprehensive guide.
The Real Schools Guide 2019 have revealed that Copthorne Primary School was the best primary school nationally, achieving the highest score.
The Little-horton based school saw 98 per cent of pupils achieve the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.
Part of the Exceed Academies Trust, Copthorne’s progress ratings were also well above the national average, placing the school in the top ten per cent of primary schools in the country, with 8.5 in maths, 8.4 in reading and 6.2 in writing.
The Real Schools Guide 2019 aims to give a more comprehensive picture than traditional league tables and discloses discloses two new top schools as the best in the area , compiled by their own data unit.
The results come after analyzing 44 different data points – including factors like progress, pupil-teacher ratios and absence rates.
Christabel Shepherd, executive headteacher at Copthorne, paid tribute to her “incredible” pupils, staff, parents and headteacher Frances Whalley.
She said: “We are more than delighted for our school, and the Trust which had four of the top five schools for pupil progress.
“It comes after extraordinarily hard work by our staff, pupils and parents, we’ve had a clear focus in challenging our children which has had a positive impact and outcome“Every child but one that did their SATs achieved the expected level, we are so happy for them.”
Individuals and parents can go online the browse the full data, compare different schools, and find links to contact details and recent Ofsted reports.
The Guide, now in its sixth year, has been praised by education experts alike.
Dr Elaine McCreery Head of Primary Initial Teacher Education at Manchester Metropolitan University, said the guide could help parents make decisions about where to apply for or be useful for those with children already at schools to get involved and support the school.
The next three top performing schools from across the district were Horton Park Primary School in Canterbury, Burley & Woodhead CofE Primary School in Burley-in-Wharfedale – the highest ranked Council-maintained school – and Bankfoot Primary School, Bankfoot.
Councillor Imran Khan, executive member for education, said: “What these figures show is that many of the initiatives used by primary schools, ranging from cluster led reading programmes, mathematics mastery classes, to individual schools’ use of precision teaching, are beginning to have the desired impact on the raising of standards at Key Stage 2.
“As ever, we shall continue to strive to improve until all of the district’s primary schools are improving results and achieving positive progress measures.
“We’re confident we have the right leadership in place in our schools to achieve this, meaning that our children have a great start to their learning which they can carry on into their secondary education and beyond.”
National top 10:
- Copthorne Primary School, Bradford
- Thomas Jones Primary School, London
- Mayflower Primary School, London
- St Antony’s Catholic Primary School, London
- South Farnham School, Surrey
- St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Primary School, Bristol
- Applegarth Academy, Croydon
- John Betts Primary School, London
- Hampstead Parochial Church of England Primary School, London
- Hugh Myddelton Primary School, London
