Sharp fall in number of 11-year-olds reaching higher grades in Sats

State schools were accused of failing the brightest children today after figures showed a shock fall in the number of 11-year-olds scoring top grades in Sats.

Just over a tenth of primary school children reached the higher level in their reading, writing and maths tests this year - while English results fell sharply.

Critics said this showed schools were under pressure to coach weaker pupils to reach the Government's lower target level at the expense of stretching the very brightest.

The concerns came amid dismay at the Government's decision to publish results today based on incomplete test figures in the wake of this year's marking fiasco.

Schools Minister Jim Knight expressed "concern and disappointment" at the fall in primary pupils reaching the higher Level 5, the standard expected of 14-year-olds.

"More needs to be done to improve personalised learning to ensure that all children fulfil their potential," he said. Professor Alan Smithers, from the University of Buckingham, said state schools may not be keen to challenge pupils to reach Level 5 when the Government's targets for 11-year-olds focus on Level 4.

"This shows the effect of targets and league tables," he said.

"Level 5 is much more of a reflection of what the children are capable of, whereas Level 4 results reflect the extent to which they have been pushed to maximise their scores." The figures showed:

In English, 29 per cent of 11-yearolds reached Level 5 this year, down from 34 per cent last year.

In maths, 31 per cent reached the higher grade, down one point from last year.

In science, 44 per cent of pupils were awarded Level 5, down from three points since last year.

Shadow schools minister Nick Gibb said the drop at the higher level was "a disaster". "These are alarming figures suggesting that fewer pupils are achieving excellence and that pupils are not being stretched to the best of their abilities," he said. Ministers faced criticismfor releasing the national results in the wake of the major problems that hit marking this year. Nearly 70,000 maths, English and science results were left out of today's figures because they were not marked in time.

The National Association of Head Teachers said incomplete results should not have been published.

John Bangs from the National Union of Teachers added: "I still can't understand why the results were published in the first place. The results have to be treated with a massive pinch of salt."

The figures suggested 220,000 children left primary school unable to read, write and add up properly this summer. Once again ministers missed their targets. But despite concern over marking quality, the Schools Minister insisted today's figures were "extremely accurate".

Mr Knight said they showed an "encouraging" rise of one percentage point in the numbers of children passing their English and maths tests at Level 4.