SCHOOL children are being failed by some schools in Lancashire, it has been claimed.

Education bosses have said schools need to work harder to improve attainment levels, with a focus on vulnerable youngsters including those in care and children from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Recent results showed that Blackburn with Darwen was below the national average on Key Stage Two results, and Lancashire County Council’s scores fell from last year.

But now officers at Blackburn with Darwen Council said that while the majority of children were achieving acceptable levels, the standards in some schools were failing other youngsters.

It has set up strategies to target the most at-risk youngsters and projects include a special workshop to encourage Pakistani boys to improve their results.

Education bosses argued that the results are low because the area is one of the most deprived in the country and said youngsters need to have the tools to compete with their peers across the country.

In Blackburn with Darwen children who sat their Key Stage Two tests in May were below the national average with 77 per cent of pupils gaining level four in English, 77 per cent achieving level four in maths and 85 per cent in science In Lancashire County Council’s area 81 per cent of pupils gained level four in English, 81 per cent achieved level four in maths and 89 per cent in science, which was a drop from last year’s figures.

Coun Maureen Bateson, opposition children services member in Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: “The majority of children in the authority are looked after.

“We have some schools that are failing our children constantly.

"We have some first class schools and some excellent teachers but we have to look more carefully at the problems.

“We have been focusing on how to solve the problems less and less and focusing more on ticking boxes.”

Coun Chris Thayne, executive member for children services in Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: “I would like to express confidence in the measurements used in terms of achievements.

!Our concern is that our young people should be able to compete on a level with any young people across the country. Any achievements are something to be recognised and celebrated.

“But we know we must improve the level of attainment.”