A LIVERTON-BASED primary school academy trust has been rated one of the best in the country for school improvement.

The First Federation Trust, based at Blackpool Primary at Liverton incorporates eight primary schools in Devon, including schools in Chudleigh Knighton and Dawlish.

A newly-published table shows the First Federation as the second highest performer for school improvement in the country.

The respected education think tank, the Education Policy Institute, looked at the trust’s current value-added statistics and its figures for the past three years.

Out of more than 220 local authorities and primary multi-academy trusts across the country, the First Federation was rated second.

The London-based Harris Federation was top, making the First Federation the highest performer in the south west for school improvement.

The table does not include single academies but only multi-academy trusts with five schools or more.

The First Federation Trust consists of the primary schools at Blackpool, Chudleigh Knighton, Salcombe, Newton Ferrers, Aveton Gifford, Lady Seward’s at Clyst St George, together with St Leonard’s in Exeter, Westcliff in Dawlish and Brixington in Exmouth, which joined this academic year.

See tomorrow’s Mid-Devon Advertiser for the full story [July 15 2016].