One in six primary pupils 'lag in English or maths'

Tens of thousands of children are not making the expected progress in the key subjects between the ages of seven and 11, according to statistics published yesterday by the Department of Education.

The figures were taken from the national tests sat by 11-year-olds this summer, which were disrupted by a teacher boycott.

Ministers have said there was a "real concern" so many children were failing to make the right progress in the basics.

However, Labour accused the Government of spinning successful results as failure.

Results show fewer boys are making the expected progress in English than girls, and this gap has widened since last year.

The findings show that around 61,500 children, 16 per cent of primary school pupils across the country, failed to progress by two levels in English, while around 66,000 – 17 per cent of pupils – did not make this progress in maths.

However, the proportion making the expected progress in each subject has risen compared to last year.

Schools Minister Nick Gibb said: "Thousands of children are condemned to struggle at secondary school and beyond unless they get the fundamentals of reading, writing and maths right at an early age. We also need to ensure that those who are doing well are stretched to their full potential."

Mr Gibb said the Government was planning to put synthetic phonics "at the heart of teaching children to read" as well as introducing a new reading test for six-year-olds.

Labour's Shadow Schools Minister Vernon Coaker said: "I cannot understand why the Government is trying to spin these figures by doing down the achievements of children and the hard work of their teachers.

"The fact is that the proportion of children making the expected level of progress between seven and 11 years old has jumped two per cent in maths and English since last year. In maths this has jumped five per cent points in just two years.

"We should be celebrating this as a success."

Results from the primary school tests showed Yorkshire pupils had the lowest level of attainment in the country at reading and writing.

The figures show schools in Yorkshire had fewer 11-year-old pupils reaching the standard expected of the age group in English, reading and writing tests than any other region in England.

However the Government has been unable to give complete figures from this summer's key stage two standard assessment tests (Sats) because of industrial action by school staff.

Results published by the Department for Education showed 78 per cent of pupils in Yorkshire reached the level expected of 11-year-olds in English tests, compared with a national average of 82 per cent.

In reading tests 82 per cent of the region's primary school pupils made the grade, compared with 84 per cent nationally and in writing tests Yorkshire was again two per cent below the national average with 69 per cent of pupils getting to the expected standard in the region and 71 per cent achieving it across England.

Yorkshire schools were also slightly below the national average in maths with 79 per cent of 11-year-olds making the grade, compared with 80 per cent across the country.

The Government has also published results from teacher assessments of 11-year-olds in English, maths and science.

Yorkshire schools fared better using this measure, pupils rated as slightly below the national average in English and in line with the rest of the country in maths.

Region's schools joined boycott

Controversy over the national testing of 11-year-olds led to two major teaching unions carrying out a boycott this summer.

The National Association of Head Teachers and the National Union of Teachers launched the industrial action in protest over the impact the standard assessment tests have on their members.

Almost 650 primary schools in Yorkshire refused to administer the tests which left the Government unable to produce results for 20 education authorities including Bradford, Calderdale, North Lincolnshire and Wakefield.