Attainment in primary schools has risen in every subject and disadvantaged pupils continue to close the gap on their peers – figures for primary tests out today show.
The results for more than half a million 11-year-olds show the percentage achieving the expected level in reading, writing and maths has risen to 79 per cent.
While the proportion of disadvantaged pupils achieving the expected level in reading, writing and maths combined has risen between 2012 and 2014 – from 61 to 67 per cent.
The attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers has also narrowed by two percentage points over the same period.
This is in part testament to the Liberal Democrat’s £2.5 billion Pupil Premium, which helps the most disadvantaged pupils through extra funding.
Schools Minister David Laws said:
“I am pleased to see that primaries have responded to the challenge of a higher floor standard – we have raised the bar and schools have raised their game.
“It is also encouraging to see the attainment gap between disadvantaged children and their peers continue to narrow and parents, teachers and pupils deserve to be congratulated for their efforts.
“But we know there is more to do and there are still too many areas with simply unacceptable levels of attainment for disadvantaged pupils.
“We are committed to helping schools do more and have increased the pupil premium they receive per pupil to £1,300 so they have the resources they need.”