Primaries making small strides

Primary school test results improved for the first time in four years this year, much to the relief of the Government.

However, while ministers declared their much-vaunted primary school revolution back on track, they had to admit that targets set for two years ago remain unachieved.

And goals set initially for this year, then converted to "aspirations" for 2006, are further away from becoming reality. SATs results published today show that 77 per cent of 11-year-olds have hit the expected level for their age in English - up two percentage points from last year - and 74 per cent have achieved the required results in maths, up one point. The target initially set for this year required at least 85 per cent of 11-year-olds to achieve those standards.

The test results mean nearly one in four 11-year-olds leave primary school without good literacy and numeracy, bearing out complaints this year from employers. The Confederation of British Industry said one in three of its

members was having to give new employees catch-up courses in maths and English after they had left school.

Today's results also show that achievement in science has dipped slightly at age 11, with a one-point drop in pupils achieving the expected level, down to 86 per cent. At the age of 14 - now the focus of the Government's efforts to improve secondary schools - performance in science dipped even further, down by two points to 66 per cent. Maths results improved, up by three points to 73 per cent. But schools still missed this year's target in both subjects.

Results for English at aged 14 were not reported this year because a marking crisis meant they were late in many schools. Government statisticians reported that the data was not "fit for purpose".

Schools Minister David Miliband said it was a "tribute to schools, teachers and pupils that the much-vaunted plateau in achievement in primary schools has now been breached and that standards have improved again". He pointed out that some of the biggest improvements this year have been in the most economically disadvantaged areas.

In Hackney, primary achievement in English and maths improved by seven and six per cent respectively, well above the national average. Secondary schools in Southwark achieved the biggest improvement in maths, up seven points, while schools in Brent improved by five points. In science, secondary schools in Tower Hamlets and Croydon bucked the national trend with improvements of two points and one point respectively.

Mr Miliband said the primary school improvement was the result of intensive help for schools in the poorest-performing authorities, which would be extended from next month. Ministers will also decide then whether to extend the pilot which has downgraded SATs among younger primary children in a quarter of schools this year, giving greater precedence to teacher assessment.

Results at age seven show how hard it will be for the Government to achieve significantly improved results at age 11 in coming years. Only 71 per cent of seven-year-olds securely achieved the expected level in reading this year, 62 per cent in writing and 75 per cent in maths.

Officials say those who do not hit this level at seven have a much-reduced chance of achieving targets four years later. Mr Miliband added: "I make no apology for having set very stretching targets. We want to make sure the department is doing everything possible to help schools reach them as quickly as possible."