Literacy news
Slow starting pupils don't catch up, league tables show
15 Dec 2011
Three-quarters of children in England who make a slow start in the "Three Rs" at primary school fail to catch up by the time they leave, data shows.
More than a third (39%) of pupils who make a bright start are no longer reaching advanced levels when they leave.
The government's school league tables data also shows 9% of primary schools do not meet its floor standards.
Schools Minister Nick Gibb pledged to pay particular attention to schools which had performed consistently badly over the past five years, whether through conversion to a sponsored academy or other measures.
He added that the data showed how well different schools were educating children of lower ability.
We need to help schools learn from those head teachers and teachers who deliver a high standard to all those children, including those who struggled at Key Stage 1, or who are from a poorer background.
We are also shining a light on those schools where pupils who showed early promise did not maintain their bright starts and tailed off to become below average performers.
Download our free 2011/12 Schools Guide to Literacy. It provides an overview of effective teaching of and support for reading, writing, speaking and listening in schools. It has examples of success in schools and checklists for you to assess your school's progress.
