Girls and Asian pupils are storming even further ahead of their peers by the time they leave primary school, with white boys lagging at the bottom of the class, the latest SATs results have revealed.

Analysis of the test results, which are taken each spring by 11- and 12-year-olds in reading, writing and maths, will raise alarm at the continuing underachievement of white working-class boys.

The data for 2019, released by the Department for Education (DfE), showed 70 per cent of girls reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with 60 per cent of boys.

A pupil cries tears of joy after receiving her GCSE results at Merchant Taylors' Girls' School in Crosby, Merseyside

This represented a gender gap of ten percentage points – up from eight percentage points in 2018.

Experts have previously warned that while many Asian families provide a lot of support at home, white British parents can be less aspirational, with boys particularly affected by the time they head to secondary school.

Alan Smithers, professor of education at the University of Buckingham, said: ‘White pupils tend to lag behind because their families have become increasingly complacent over the years that the country will look after them and it is up to the children what they learn, whereas families from poor countries know the crucial importance of a good education and push their children to do their very best.

Students show their emotion as they open their GCSE results at Robert May's School in Odiham, Hampshire. It has been revealed that 70 per cent of girls reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined across the country, compared with 60 per cent of boys

‘Those coming from Asia also bring with them a strong learning culture.’

In the SATs reading tests, 78 per cent of girls reached the expected standard, compared with 69 per cent of boys.

The biggest gulf is still in writing, where 85 per cent of girls made the grade compared with 72 per cent of boys.

In maths, girls are ahead by just one point – 79 per cent compared with 78 per cent.

Professor Smithers added: ‘If girls lagged behind boys by ten percentage points or more there would be outrage, but the poor performance of boys seems to be just accepted. It requires urgent Government attention.’

Asian pupils leapt ahead by one percentage point, with 69 per cent reaching the expected standard. Chinese pupils, who make up less than one per cent of the population, still achieve the highest results, with 80 per cent making the grade (file image)

The biggest gulf in exam results is still in writing, where 85 per cent of girls made the grade compared with 72 per cent of boys (file imge)

When it comes to ethnicity, black pupils have been the lowest-scoring group since 2016, but this year they jumped up by one percentage point. It means white pupils, whose results stagnated, are now joint-bottom in terms of achievement, with just 64 per cent of white and black groups reaching the expected standard.

Meanwhile, Asian pupils leapt ahead by one percentage point, with 69 per cent reaching the expected standard.

Chinese pupils, who make up less than one per cent of the population, still achieve the highest results, with 80 per cent making the grade – a continuation of a long-term trend.

The proportion of all pupils reaching the higher standard – above what is expected for their age – has risen by one point to 11 per cent. Schools minister Nick Gibb said: ‘We want all pupils to leave primary school equipped with the knowledge and skills that will help them to be successful in the rest of their education and beyond – that’s why I’m pleased to see an increase in pupils reaching the very highest standards at the end of primary school.’

This week almost 9,500 schools will begin piloting the new ‘baseline assessment’ tests for four-year-olds, which will eventually replace the existing SATs that are taken by seven-year-olds.

The tests will mean that each pupils’ progress can be tracked throughout their primary years – shining a light on failing or complacent schools.