188体育

• Gibb: Improvement welcome - but more needs to be done.
• A third of 11-year-olds still struggling in the three Rs

National, regional and local authority figures for the key stage 2 tests taken by thousands of pupils at the end of primary school were published today.

In all subjects - English, reading, writing and maths - the percentage of 11-year-olds reaching the expected level (Level 4) or above is up.

But today鈥檚 statistics show that:

• one in three pupils fail to achieve the expected level in the three Rs combined (reading, writing and mathematics)
• there is still a worrying number of children performing at a very low level. One in 10 boys leave primary school with the reading age of a seven-year-old and one in 14 boys leave with the writing age of a seven-year-old
• the proportion of children achieving above the expected level has fallen in both reading and writing.

The tests were taken by 554,000 11-year-olds in May this summer. Today鈥檚 figures break down the results to national, regional and local authority level. Children at 750 schools were tested in the science sample test. National data only is available for this test. Teacher assessment judgements were also published at key stage 2 and at key stage 3 (for 14-year-olds).

The results are available on the Department鈥檚 research and statistics website.

Key national figures:

% of pupils achieving the expected level (level 4 or above)

厂耻产箩别肠迟听	2007	2008听	2009听	2010听	2011听听	Change since 2010
贰苍驳濒颈蝉丑听	80听	81听	80听	80听	81听	+1
搁别补诲颈苍驳听	84听	87听	86听	83听	84听	+1听
奥谤颈迟颈苍驳听听	67听	68听	68听	71听	75听	+4
Maths	77听	79听	79听	79听	80听	+1
Both English & maths	71听	73听	72听	73听	74听	+1

% of pupils achieving higher than the expected level (level 5)

厂耻产箩别肠迟听	2007听	2008听	2009听	2010听	2011听听	Change since 2010
贰苍驳濒颈蝉丑听聽聽	34听	30听	29听	33听	29听	-4
搁别补诲颈苍驳听	48听	49听	47听	50听	42听	-8听
奥谤颈迟颈苍驳听听	19听	20听	20听	21听	20听	-1
惭补迟丑蝉听听听	32听	31听	35听	34听	35听	+1
Both English & maths	22听	20听	20听	23听	21听	-2

% of pupils achieving the expected level of a seven-year-old (level 2) or below

厂耻产箩别肠迟听聽聽	2007听	2008听	2009听	2010听	2011听听	Change since 2010
贰苍驳濒颈蝉丑听聽聽	听5听	听5听	听5听	听5听	听6听	听+1
Reading	听7听	听6听	听6听	听8听	听7听	听-1
奥谤颈迟颈苍驳听听	听5听	听5听	听4听	听5听	听5听	听0
惭补迟丑蝉听听听	听6听	听5听	听5听	听5听	听5听	听0

Schools Minister Nick Gibb said:

Thousands of children are doing very well, testament to their hard work and the professional skill of their teachers. The fact that more children are reaching the expected level in every subject is very welcome as is the significant increase in the proportion of children achieving well in writing.

But a third of children are still struggling in the three Rs. There has been a decline in the proportion of children - both boys and girls - who can read and write beyond the expected level. And the results of our weakest readers and writers also remain a real concern.

He added:

We are determined to raise standards of reading. There will always be some children for whom reading is a struggle. However, we can and must do much better for the one in 10 boys who at the age of eleven can read no better than a seven-year-old.

We are ensuring more schools use the tried and tested reading mechanism of phonics. We鈥檙e introducing a reading check for all children at the age of six to identify those that are struggling and ensuring they can be targeted.

It is also critical that children read for pleasure. All primary school children should have a reading book on the go at home. Evidence from around the world indicates that the more a child reads, the better their attainment in all subjects - not just reading - will be.

We are also introducing academies into the primary sector for the first time. The 200 worst performing primary schools will be taken over, by September next year, by those with a track record of success.

Notes to editors

1. The statistical first release (SFR) showing the can be found from the publications section.

2. Changes to the administrative process of marking tests may happen from year to year and care should be taken when comparing results between years. Readers鈥� attention is drawn to guidance within the SFR on the impact of changes when comparing this year鈥檚 results with other years.

3. A five per cent sample of schools took science sampling tests to estimate national attainment in the subject.

4. The Government has accepted all the recommendations made in Lord Bew鈥檚 independent review of key stage 2 testing, assessment and accountability.

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