Schools Fail to Meet Government Test Targets
Posted on: Wednesday, 24 August 2005, 06:00 CDT
PRIMARY school children in England failed to meet the Government's targets for reading and writing, results published yesterday revealed.
Just 55 per cent of 11-year-old boys made the grade for writing tests, down one per cent in 2004, compared to 72 per cent of girls.
In total 79 per cent of pupils aged 11 passed English tests, as well as 75 per cent in maths and 86 per cent in science.
At the age of seven, 85 per cent of pupils made the grade in reading, 82 per cent writing and 91 per cent in maths.
The results will mean schools have not achieved the Government's 80 per cent target rate for all subjects set in 2002 - it rises to 85 per cent for literacy and numeracy in 2006.
But a Department of Education source said: "We set the bar deliberately high in order to raise expectations." Despite the results, the test scores for seven and 11-year-olds were the highest recorded. There are now 96,000 more pupils aged 11 achieving the expected level for maths and around 84,000 for English than in 1998.
Schools Minister Jacqui Smith said: "The level of achievement for boys and girls in English and maths has never been higher.
"I warmly congratulate the children and teachers for their hard work in achieving these results."
But David Cameron, shadow education secretary, said: "The fact the government has missed its targets yet again shows they're not getting the basics right."
Meanwhile, headteachers called for urgent action to persuade young boys to embrace learning. Around 5,000 schools are currently taking part in the Primary Leadership Programme, designed to share ideas on teaching English, particularly to boys.
It will extend across the UK in coming months.
David Hart, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers said: "Whilst it is good to see boys' reading improve, the yawning gap between boys' and girls' writing skills needs to be closed quickly."
Tomorrow GCSE results will be published amid accusations that the qualification has dumbed down.
Voice of the Mirror: Page 6
Source: Daily Mirror
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