Two-fifths of primary pupils fail to meet SATs standard

Almost 40 per cent of primary school pupils in England have not met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

The results are from the national curriculum tests - SATs - which were taken by 11-year-olds earlier this term.

According to the BBC, 61 per cent met the expected levels in the “three Rs”, an improvement on last year’s 53 per cent.

The data also shows that 71 per cent of pupils met the expected standard in reading compared with 66 per cent last year.

Seventy-five per cent met the expected standard in maths compared with 70 per cent in 2016; 77 per cent of pupils met the standard in grammar, punctuation and spelling, compared with 73 per cent last year; and 76 per cent of pupils met the standard in writing compared with 74 per cent last year.

This year's cohort was the second to sit new tougher tests in line with a new national curriculum introduced in 2014.