UK primary schools see performance decline
The number of pupils being taught in primary schools with poor results rose to 230,000
London: Nearly four in ten children leave primary school without mastering the three Rs following the first fall in literacy standards since national testing was introduced.
Official school-by- school league tables reveal how scores in English SATs dipped this year despite a major school literacy drive, while performance in maths and science stalled.
The number of pupils being taught in primary schools with poor results rose to 230,000.
A total of 885 primaries failed to give the majority of pupils a proper grounding in literacy and numeracy this year — up nearly 10 per cent on 2008.
In the worst-performing mainstream school, just 14 per cent of pupils — one in seven — made the grade in English and maths.
Meanwhile, fewer schools registered ‘perfect' results which would mean they brought all pupils up to the Government's expected level in the core subjects.
Ministers will soon unveil measures aimed at improving results. These measures will include more one-to-one tuition.
Results in more than half of schools went backwards on last year, it emerged. In three-quarters, standards either fell or stalled.
The tables show sharp variations in performance around the country.
