NEW figures show the academic progress of secondary school pupils in Carlisle was the 70th worst in the country.

Researchers at The Education Policy Institute released their annual report this week, which looks at the state of education in England in 2019.

When comparing the 533 parliamentary constituencies, figures show that Penrith had the sixth largest disadvantage gap for early years education, meaning there was on average a 7.6 month gap between the development of a disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged child.

Other figures in Cumbria were:

* Copeland - 7.2 months (15th)

* Carlisle - 5.81 months (108th)

* Workington - 5.61 months (131st)

* Westmorland & Lonsdale - 5.25 months (189th)

* Barrow - 4.97 months (230th)

When looking at primary school development using the same indicator, only Westmorland and Lonsdale came inside the worst 100 areas at 86th with a difference of 12.35 months.

Conversely, Penrith came within the top 100 for the lowest gap with 6.52 months between pupils on average, meaning the gap is almost twice as large between students from disadvantaged backgrounds in Westmorland and Lonsdale as it is in Penrith.

Copeland, Carlisle and Barrow all came within the 200 worst areas, but none broke into the worst 100. Workington was just inside the 200 constituencies with the lowest gap with 9.06 months.

Secondary school figures also show Penrith has one of the biggest academic gaps between those from disadvantaged backgrounds and those who aren’t, coming in as the 39th worst area in the UK with an average gap of just over two years. West Ham, by contrast, had a gap of little over six months.

* Workington - 21.73 months (138th)

* Westmorland & Lonsdale - 21.11 (175th)

* Carlisle - 20.64 (205th)

* Copeland - 16.6 (398th)

* Barrow - 14.61 (444th)

For secondary school pupil achievement:

* Westmorland & Lonsdale - 164st

* Penrith - 257th

* Workington - 289th

* Copeland - 315th

* Barrow - 350th

* Carlisle - 463rd

A spokesman for Cumbria County Council said: “Closing the disadvantage gap is a priority for the council, and for schools, and there are a range of reasons why the challenge is particularly significant in Cumbria, not least that Cumbria includes several areas that are among the most deprived in England. Positively, over recent years we have seen the ‘gap closing’ in Cumbria but there is still much to do and work is ongoing.”

Louise Atkinson, National Executive Member for the National Education Union and a Carlisle teacher said: “No child should be left behind because of their background and demographic.”