SCHOOLS in Blackburn with Darwen and across the rest of East Lancashire are performing just above the national average, new statistics show.

Figures were released yesterday by the Department for Education as part of league tables based on the performance of pupils in each school in their end-of-primary national curriculum tests, known as Sats.

The number of primary school pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths rose again.

Across England, 64 per cent of 11-year-olds who sat this year’s Sats - or national curriculum tests - met Government targets in all three areas, up from 61 per cent last year, according to the Department for Education (DfE).

In Blackburn with Darwen, 66 per cent of 11-year-olds met Government targets, while in Lancashire the figure was 65 per cent.

While the number of schools considered to be under-performing has decreased, 364 mainstream primaries in England fell below the primary school floor standard.

More than 90,000 pupils are being taught at the under-performing primaries. This represents 2.1 per cent of children at mainstream primary schools in England.

The highest-performing school in Blackburn with Darwen was Blackburn the Redeemer Church of England school, where 95 per cent of 11-year-olds met targets.

St Barnabas and St Paul’s Church of England and St Antony’s Roman Catholic schools were also high performers, with more than 85 per cent of 11-year-olds performing at or above the target.

Blacko primary school in Pendle and St Joseph’s Roman Catholic school in Hurst Green were among the highest-performing, with all pupils meeting the target.

Barrowford St Thomas Church of England school had 94 per cent of 11-year-olds meeting expectations.

Schools are considered to be under-performing if fewer than 65 per cent of pupils reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, or if they fail to make sufficient progress in the three key areas.

Figures also showed the gap between disadvantaged pupils - those in or formerly in care or eligible for free school meals - and their peers had continued to decrease, narrowing by 3 per cent in the latest year and 13.2 per cent since 2011, the department said.

School standards minister Nick Gibb said the statistics showed that standards were rising in schools.

He added: “Every child, regardless of their background, deserves a high quality education and opportunity to fulfil their potential.”