Two in five fail to reach three Rs standards at 11

TWO out of five of Oldham pupils will start secondary school this year with poor reading, writing and maths.

Results of national curriculum tests show that 40 per cent of the borough’s 11-year-olds failed to reach the expected standard for their age (level 4) across all three subjects.

The figures are the second lowest in Greater Manchester and come amid a national drop in English results. Only Manchester itself fared worse with 44 per cent.

Overall, 78 per cent of Oldham pupils reached level 4 in English and 79 per cent in maths, down from 81 per cent and 80 per cent. The science figure remained the same at 88 per cent.

These compared with the national figures of 80 per cent for English, a drop from 81 per cent. But both the maths and science figures for England remained steady at 79 per cent and 88 per cent.

It is the first time that English results have fallen in the history of the national curriculum tests.

The Government wants 78 per cent of children to reach Level 4 in both English and maths by 2011, currently attained by 72 per cent nationally and 71 per cent in Oldham (down from 74 per cent).

Schools Minister Diana Johnson admitted that this would be “challenging” and said: “Parents are going to be concerned about this blip, as are head teachers and governing bodies.

“The Government is concerned as well. We have plans to deal with this.”