More than half of Coventry 11-year-olds below expected standard in new school tests

[dutchman]

47 per cent of pupils in the city reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths in key stage two tests

More than half of Coventry 11-year-olds didn’t meet the expected standard for their age in controversial new tests.

Just 47 per cent of pupils in the city reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths in key stage two tests.

The pupils took the tests in early summer this year just before they left primary school.

Out of 3,888 pupils just 152, which is four per cent, reached the higher level.

Nationally 53 per cent of pupils reached the expected level and five per cent the higher level.

This year’s tests are new. They are tougher than the previous year’s tests and based on a new curriculum.

Coventry City Council’s cabinet member for education and skills Coun Kevin Maton (Lab, Henley), said: “Both the pupil progress and actual results are generally in line with our statistical neighbours.

“Along with the results we are getting from Ofsted we have a good base from which we can progress further.

“The quoted figures include the reading figure and a number of schools have returned the reading papers wanting them to be re marked.

“The schools are waiting for the papers to be re marked.”

Places defined as statistical neighbours include similar cities in the West Midlands as well as Leicester, Southampton and Nottingham.

The West Midlands , with 49 per cent reaching the expected level in reading, writing and maths, was the lowest performing region in the country. The highest overall score was in London where 57 per cent of children reached the standard.

The number of 11-year-olds in Coventry reaching the expected level in last year’s tests was much higher at 78 per cent, but government number crunchers say the two figures can’t be compared because the new tests are based on a different curriculum.

Members of the National Union of Head Teachers earlier this year called for the results not to be published but just given to children along with warnings to parents about accuracy.

Head teachers in the union said schools hadn’t been given time to prepare and approached the tests in very different ways. They said the results are not reliable enough to be used to compare schools.

[rebbonk]

Logically, on any target we would expect the bell-curve to prevail with 50% above and 50% below!