The majority of boys leave primary school without having reached basic standards in reading, writing and maths, government figures reveal today.

This year 11-year-olds faced tougher SATs exams after a government drive to improve standards.

Girls rose to the challenge with 57.1 per cent reaching the expected standard compared to less than half of boys.

For the first time pupils needed to achieve 100 in the Key Stage 2 exams rather than a level 4 under the old system.

Department for Education data released showed 50.46 per cent of boys – or 149,872 of the 296,988 males who sat the exams - failed to meet the new standard.

Meanwhile 42.89 per cent of girls did not reach the bar – representing 122,276 of the 285,028 who sat the exams.

Widening gap