Member News
The number of pupils reaching the expected standard in English at Key Stage 2 has fallen, new figures have revealed.
Data published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families shows a fifth of primary school pupils had not achieved level four results in English, the standard required of the age group.
The drop is the first since 1995, with 80 per cent of pupils reaching level four, down one per cent from last year.
The number of children reaching the required standard in maths and science remained at the same level as last year, with 70 per cent and 88 per cent respectively.
Just 72 per cent of pupils reached level four in English and Maths, against the government target of 79 per cent by 2011.
The figures also showed there has been a one per cent reduction in the gap between boys and girls in science, with 89 per cent of girls reaching the expected standard compared to 88 per cent of boys.
But in English 85 per cent of girls met the expected standard, while the figure stood at 75 per cent for boys.
Schools minister Diana Johnson said the government, along with parents, headteachers and governing bodies "will be rightly concerned that we have not seen an improvement this year compared to last year".
"This year's results demonstrate loud and clear that we are going to have to ask some hard questions and redouble our efforts if we are to make further progress in national curriculum tests next year and in future years," she added.
Johnson said the government is introducing schemes to ensure that pupil progress is tracked, ensuring they get the help they need to succeed.
And one-to-one tuition will be provided in English and mathematics for pupils who have fallen behind, with plans being piloted in 450 schools.
Liberal Democrat schools spokesman David Laws said the figures were "unacceptable" and had shown the government had failed to "get a grip on the basics".
Have your say...
Please enter your comments below.