AN MP has said Cumbria’s schools should learn from the success of two South Lakeland primaries after he publicly praised them in Parliament.

Tim Farron tabled a motion congratulating Sedbergh Primary School and Cartmel Primary School for coming 3rd and 6th respectively in the county’s league tables for their proportion of high-achieving pupils.

The recently-published figures showed 62 per cent of Sedbergh Primary School children finished year six with Levels 5 or higher in both maths and English SATs tests at the end of year six, while at Cartmel the number was 60 per cent.

Mr Farron said the high level of experience was ‘particularly exceptional’ as Level 5 achievements were expected of year nine students.

In the early day motion, Mr Farron praised the hard work of staff and pupils and called on other schools across Cumbria to learn from them.

“These are two outstanding schools and that enabled their students to achieve an incredibly high level of success in their primary education,” said the Westmorland and Lonsdale representative.

“To have more than half the pupils in each school reaching standards expected of students up to three or four years older than them is fantastic and the staff at both Sedbergh and Cartmel primary schools deserve our congratulations.”

Mr Farron’s motion read: “That this House congratulates Sedbergh and Cartmel primary schools on placing 3rd and 6th in recently released primary school league tables for Cumbria which compares the percentage of pupils achieving Level 5 or higher in English and Maths; notes that this means 62 per cent of pupils at Sedbergh and 60 per cent of pupils at Cartmel will have achieved, in year six, the level expected of a 14-year-old in secondary school in these crucial disciplines; acknowledges the dedication and commitment of teachers, staff and pupils which has enabled them to achieve this outstanding result and expresses great pride in their excellent contribution to the high standard of primary education in Cumbria as a whole; and calls on Cumbria County Council and other schools in Cumbria to look to the example set by Sedbergh and Cartmel to ensure to highest quality of education for all students in the county.”