Our pupils falling behind in three Rs

OLDHAM pupils are among the thousands of children who have fallen behind in the “three Rs” after only three years of school, according to Government figures.

Schools Minister Nick Gibb said too many seven-year-olds were struggling in reading, writing and arithmetic after provisional teacher-assessment scores were published yesterday.

They show that more than 83,000 seven-year-olds have a reading age no better than a five-year-old.

Almost 106,000 cannot write at the level expected.

More than 58,000 failed to make the grade in maths and there is a marked difference between the poorest children and the rest.

Overall there has been a “flat-lining” over the last five years in basic attainment in all subjects.

In Oldham, 83 per cent of seven-year-olds reached the expected level in reading (85 per cent for the England average) and 78 per cent in writing (81 per cent). The figures were 86 per cent (90 per cent) for maths and 84 per cent (89 per cent) in science.

But 69 per cent of Oldham’s pupils exceeded the level for their age in reading, 56 per cent for writing and 67 per cent for maths.

Mr Gibb said: “These figures show that many children are doing well. But it is worrying that there are still so many who are behind just three years into their school careers.

“Success in later life is founded on an understanding of the three Rs in the first few years of school. Problems must be identified at a young age and rectified before it is too late.

“The overriding objective of the Government is to close the attainment gap between those from poorer and wealthier backgrounds.”

The Department for Education has also published statistics showing the progress made by pupils between seven and leaving primary school.

In England 83 per cent made the expected progress in English and 82 per cent in maths.