Figures reveal 61% of 10- and 11-year-olds reached government standard in reading, writing and maths, up from 53% in 2016

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Four out of 10 primary school pupils failed to reach the government’s expected standard in their end of primary school tests this summer, despite a marked improvement on last year’s results, according to official figures.

It is the second year of the new, tougher key stage 2 tests for year 6 pupils, and government figures reveal a significant rise in attainment on last year’s results among 10- and 11-year-olds who sat their tests in May.

According to raw national data, 61% of pupils met the required target in reading, writing, mathematics and grammar compared with 53% last year. The improvement in results can be attributed to teachers’ increasing familiarity with the curriculum and the demands of the new assessments.

Welcoming the results, the school standards minister, Nick Gibb, said: “Today’s results show sustained progress in reading, writing and maths and are a testament to the hard work of teachers and pupils across England.

“Thanks to their commitment and our new knowledge-rich curriculum, thousands more children will arrive at secondary school having mastered the fundamentals of reading, writing and maths, giving them the best start in life.”

There was significant improvement in reading standards, with 71% of pupils reaching the expected standard compared with 66% last year. Three-quarters of children met the expected standard in maths, compared with 70% last year.

There was also an improvement in results for the controversial grammar, punctuation and spelling tests, up from 73% last year to 77%, and 76% of pupils met the expected standard in writing this summer, compared with 74% last year.

‘I’m teaching – and I’m cheating’: confessions of a primary Sats teacher Read more

Despite improved results, the tests remain controversial with teachers, unions and parents, who are concerned about the pressure of primary assessment on young children and the consequences for schools that are judged by the test results.

Julie McCulloch, a primary specialist at the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said the tests hang over schools “like the sword of Damocles”.

“The children who sat this year’s tests have only been following the revised national curriculum for three years, and it is to their and their schools’ great credit that they have done so well.

“However, ASCL has grave concerns about the impact of the Sats on the curriculum, and on children’s broader experience at primary school. It cannot be right that the performance of primary schools is judged on a set of tests taken over just four days in May at the end of the seven years children spend at primary school.”

Tuesday’s results give only the national picture, with school-level results to be published later in the year.

More than half a million year 6 pupils sat the tests this year. Their results are used in annual school league tables to assess a school’s performance.

Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said the results should be taken with a pinch of salt.

“Comparisons with last year are inevitable but they are also unwise, as last year’s results were unexpectedly low and pupils were being assessed at a time when the curriculum and assessment methods had changed significantly,” he said.

“This year, students and schools are more familiar with the new-style tests. Teachers will have had a better idea about what to expect and have been better placed to prepare children.”

Kevin Courtney, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said overall the results made sombre reading.

“They tell 39% of 11-year-olds that they have not reached ‘the expected standard’ for their age group and are not ready to begin secondary education.

“This demoralising situation says less about the efforts of teachers and pupils than about the deep flaws of our current system. Designed to hold schools to account, it treats primary children as collateral damage.”

Asked later about the large numbers of pupils still failing to reach expected targets, Nick Gibb told the Guardian the new curriculum had significantly higher expectations of students.

“Getting those basics right in primary school at what is a significantly higher level sets those children up for success their later lives.”

He said he hoped for further improvements in next year’s results when the curriculum will have been in place for four years.

Gibb also dismissed complaints that the tests put undue pressure on pupils and their teachers.

“The purpose of Sats is to hold a school to account, to make sure they are providing the quality of education.

“There should not be any pressure on pupils taking these Sats. If they’ve had a good education throughout their time in primary school, they should be able to take these Sats at the end of year 6 and not be under pressure to do well.”