YORK'S schools have won good marks from Ofsted following the latest rounds of inspections.

Ofsted's annual report says 88 per cent of York's primary schools were rated 'good' or 'outstanding' following inspections, as at August 31, 2021.

That compares with an average for Yorkshire and The Humber of 83 per cent, an average for North Yorkshire of 82 per cent and for East Yorkshire of87 per cent.

The report says 89 per cent of York's secondary schools had ratings of good or outstanding, compared with 73 per cent for Yorkshire and The Humber, 74 per cent for North Yorkshire and 77 per cent for East Yorkshire.

Suspension rates for pupils in York of 7.2 per cent per pupil were also lower than the regional average of 11.7 per cent, the national average of 7.4 per cent and the average for North Yorkshire of 10.7 per cent, although East Yorkshire's rate was slightly lower at 7 per cent.

The Chief Inspector’s Annual Report said that nearly all children and learners have been affected by the pandemic, with long-term consequences unknown.

It said good, well-structured, face-to-face education will help most children catch up and daily routines, and the return of sport and extra-curricular activities, will improve children’s mental and physical health, but those requiring specialist care and support must not be left wanting.

A spokesperson said the report found that last year was a difficult period to be young, and a challenging time to be learning.

"The restrictions everyone had to live under brought hardships to many, but children and learners faced more than their fair share," they said.

"While the long-term effects of school closures are not yet known, this year’s report says that nearly all children in England have suffered as a result of restrictions and repeated lockdowns.

"It warns that, as we look forward to the year ahead, it’s imperative that all parts of education and care systems are working to enable children of this generation to fulfil their potential.

"Ofsted found that, despite the best efforts and commitment of many thousands of parents, teachers, social workers and carers, the challenges of the pandemic were so great that nearly all children fell behind in their education, while some had a worse experience than others."

They said the report described how:

• The loss of education disrupted routine, and lack of activities led some children to develop physical and mental health problems. Loneliness, boredom and misery became endemic among the young.

• Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) had additional barriers to overcome as many were unable to access the support they rely on.

• Vulnerable children, at risk of harm or neglect, disappeared from teachers’ line of sight, resulting in significantly lower levels of referrals to social care.