A NUMBER of East Lancashire schools have shown improvements in their key stage four results, figures show.

Government data released last week has now been analysed by schools across the area with many showing a significant upturn in the progress pupils have made.

Rhyddings Business and Enterprise School in Oswaldtwistle has been named the most improved school in Hyndburn and second most improved local authority school in Lancashire.

Its Progress 8 score has improved by 0.5 points over last year, which is the equivalent to five grades per student in a year when GCSE exams were more challenging.

The government's new way of measuring progress looks at a student's progress between key stage two and key stage four across eight key subjects, including English and Maths.

Headteacher Paul Trickett attributes the improvement to the school’s principles of a broad and balanced curriculum.

He said: “In education, one size certainly does not fit all. We work continuously to ensure each individual student’s needs are met and that they are pushed and encouraged in option subjects just as much as they are in English and Maths.

“At the beginning of the 2016/17 academic year, we set ourselves and our students ambitious targets then monitored them closely to ensure the journey to improvement was on track."

Colne Primet Academy has also been named the most improved secondary school in Pendle and in the top 10 in East Lancashire for progress.

The Dent Street academy achieved an above average Progress 8 score of 0.11.

Principal Lynne Blomley said: “I am absolutely delighted at the progress score which shows a significant improvement here at Primet.

“I am especially pleased that the progress is measured across a broad range of subjects so it shows our curriculum is strong and is working to deliver results."

Pleckgate High School in Blackburn is now in the top 18 per cent of schools nationally and has one of the highest performing maths departments in the country.

Mark Cocker, headteacher, said: "The Progress 8 measure represents a substantial improvement for Pleckgate High School and places us in the top 18 per cent of schools nationally.

"The per centage of students achieving the new more challenging benchmark of 5+ in English and maths also places us well above average and, with an impressive 28 students achieving Grade 9’s across English and maths, 2017 represents the best results ever for Pleckgate High School."