THE number of students in East Lancashire attending “good” or “outstanding” schools has risen since 2014, new figures have revealed.

Ofsted, the education watchdog, released its annual report yesterday, in which its head said that the “nation was divided”, with Southern schools generally performing better than their counterparts in the North and Midlands.

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The report revealed that 85 per cent of children in Blackburn with Darwen attend “good” or “outstanding” primary schools, a rise of two per cent from last year.

That compares with 89 per cent in Lancashire, another rise of two per cent.

The percentage of students at secondary schools in Blackburn with Darwen that attend “good” or “outstanding” schools rose by nine per cent to 77 while Lancashire’s figures rose by three per cent to 84.

Sir Michael Wilshaw, Ofsted’s chief inspector, said: “We are witnessing an educational division of the country after age 11, with secondary schools performing well overall in the South but struggling to improve in the North and Midlands.

The facts are stark. Compared to secondary school children in the South, those in the North and Midlands on average make less progress in English and maths, perform worse at GCSE and attain fewer top grades at A-level.

“If left unaddressed the consequences will be profound.

“Our society, our future prosperity and development rely on the better education of our children.

“As things stand, too many secondary schools in the North and Midlands are failing to equip young people with the skills and knowledge they and the country need.

“I fear that unless we resolve these divisions our country’s educational progress will be seriously impeded and we will not be able to compete as well with our international competitors.”

The number of students in Lancashire primary and secondary academies has been revealed as two per cent and 27 per cent respectively while the figures for Blackburn with Darwen were 11 per cent and 64 per cent.

The NUT has been hitting out at the “increasing erosion” of a council’s role in education.

Simon Jones, who represents the union in Lancashire, said: “Councils have seen an increasing erosion of their role in education.

“Ofsted found low rates of academisation in primaries yet high rates of improvement.

“The collective action called for by Sir Michael by local politicians, MPs, chief executives and head teachers is simply not achievable in an academised system.”