Region’s primaries ‘worst performers’
Only half reach targets in some areas
EDUCATION: Yorkshire is the worst performing region in the country for pupils failing to meet the expected standard by the end of primary school, according to league tables published today.
YORKSHIRE IS the worst performing region in the country for pupils failing to meet the expected standard by the end of primary school, according to new league tables.
In some parts of the county, including Doncaster and Leeds, just over half of the pupils have hit the target.
The Department for Education (DfE) has measured how much progress primary school pupils have made, as well as how many have met the Government’s national standard for the three Rs.
Overall, the number of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths has risen from 53 per cent last year to 61 per cent this year.
The rise is partly due to schools being in the second year of teaching the new SATs, which incorporate a tougher primary curriculum introduced in 2014 to “raise expectations”.
But despite the overall figure in Yorkshire also rising from last year, the region is the worst performing for both the percentage of students achieving the expected standard – 58 per cent – and the higher standard – seven per cent.
London performed the best of any English region this year, with 67 per cent of students achieving the expected standard and 11 per cent the higher standard.
In Yorkshire, 11 out of 15 education authorities saw fewer pupils achieve the expected standard than the national average.
Hull, a city which has tradition- ally languished at the bottom end of school performance tables, is the region’s best performing area with 63 per cent of pupils making the grade, a 10 per cent rise on last year.
Coun Phil Webster, portfolio holder for learning at Hull City Council, said: “I am confident we can continue with this direction of travel and improve further.”
Doncaster and Leeds were the lowest performing areas with 54 per cent and 56 per cent pupils meeting the expected standard respectively. However, they have both risen from 46 per cent and 48 per cent last year.
A total of 511 – four per cent – of mainstream primary schools failed to meet the Government’s floor standard this year, against 665 – five per cent – last year.
Schools are considered to be underperforming if fewer than 65 per cent of pupils reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, or if they fail to make sufficient progress.
In Yorkshire 62 primary schools – four per cent – did not meet the Government’s floor standard, including nine in North Yorkshire and eight in Kirklees, Wakefield and Leeds. Leeds City Council said league tables do not always reflect the hard work of schools and teachers.