MOST schools in Barrow have achieved the highest rating for food hygiene, according to new analysis.

Data shows that 85 per cent of schools in the borough received the top rating.

Each school is checked on three categories - hygienic food handling, cleanliness and condition of facilities and building, and management of food safety.

All local authority maintained schools, as well as academies and free schools, must adhere to government guidance on standards for planning and providing food in schools.

This includes providing high-quality meat, poultry or oil fish with fruit and vegetables ­— and there cannot be drinks with added sugar, crisps, chocolate or sweets in school meals.

Establishments can be rated as low as a zero and as high as a five.

A full list of ratings is below.

A zero rating means that urgent improvements are required, with businesses threatened with closure if these are not made.

Four and five are the best possible ratings given by the Food Standards Agency, meaning good and very good respectively.

Earlier this year Brisbane Park Infant School in Barrow received a one-star rating for its food hygiene after an inspection by environmental health officers but received a four after a re-inspection.

Councillor Tony Callister, Barrow Council's spokesman for licensing and public protection, said: "All food premises - including schools - are inspected under the National Food Hygiene Rating Scheme.

"We are very pleased that the vast majority of schools across Barrow have achieved the maximum rating possible of five, with others also scoring good or satisfactory results.

"Our team is always keen to work with food premises to help them identify how they can improve their existing rating so it is as high as it can be."

Education establishments with a five rating include: Barrow Island Primary School, Barrow Sixth Form College, Chapel Street Infants & Nursery School, Dalton St Mary's Church of England School, Dane Ghyll Primary School, South Walney Junior School, Dowdales School, Ireleth St Peter's Church of England School, Lindal & Marton County Primary, Mill Lane Day Centre, North Walney Primary School, Askam Village School, Cambridge Primary School, Chetwynde School, George Hastwell School, Greengate Junior School, Holy Family RC Primary School, Newbarns Primary School, Newton Primary School, Ormsgill Primary School, Refectory at Furness College, St Bernard's Catholic High School, St. James C of E Junior School, Victoria Academy, Victoria Infant and Nursery School and Walney School.

Those with a four are: Brisbane Park Infants School, College House Day Nursery, Ramsden Infants School, Vickerstown Primary School.

Moorfield Learning Centre is the only establishment with a rating of three.