Quarter of 11-year-olds fail in 3 Rs

MORE than a quarter of pupils leave primary school without mastering both English and maths, according to government figures released today.

In some London boroughs as many as one in three 11-year-olds failed to reach the expected academic level for their age in the subjects.

Critics said the figures revealed the Government's failure to ensure that all children master the "three Rs", widely seen as a crucial preparation for future schooling and work.

The latest statistics from the Department for Children showed that:

● 27 per cent of pupils in England did not achieve the Government's target for the age group of level 4 in both maths and English last year.

● In Hackney, 35 per cent of primary pupils fell short of the target for English and maths combined, while in Haringey 34 per cent were below level 4.

● In Richmond 81 per cent passed both the English and maths tests and in Kensington the pass rate was 81 per cent.

The results came amid anger from teachers over league tables, which today rank schools on the basis of their results in last year's troubled Sats. The results for more 1.2 million children in primary and secondary schools were delayed after a series of blunders hit the marking system. Government exam agencies permanently lost results from four London primaries amid the chaos.

Teachers said 11-year-olds who had worked hard for their tests have been "destroyed" after being told they will never know their results. The Evening Standard's primary school league tables, ranking state schools on their results in maths, English and science Sats, revealed the scale of damage done by the marking fiasco.

The four schools included in the London rankings despite suffering lost grades in some subjects, were: Telferscot primary in Balham, Kenmont Primary in Kensal Green, Scotts Park in Bromley and Little Stanmore in Edgware. Eleanor Donegan, business manager at Telferscot, said the loss of children's papers had had "a really bad effect on the school".

"The children were destroyed by it all," she said. "They will probably be affected when they are put into streams in secondary school. The children worked incredibly hard and it all turned out to be for nothing. We believe that our performance in today's league table will not be a true reflection of the school."

Following the debacle, marking company ETS Europe lost its £156 million contract to deliver the tests, the Government's National Assessment Agency was abolished and Ed Balls, the Children's Secretary, abolished Sats for 14-year-olds. Teachers now want him to scrap Sats for 11-year-olds.