Almost two-thirds of pupils left primary school this year
having mastered demanding standards of reading writing and
maths – meaning they are going into secondary school
equipped to thrive.
Statistics released today (9 July, 2019) show:
- 65% of pupils met the expected standard in reading,
writing and maths combined compared to 64% in 2018 and 53%
in 2016 when the more rigorous KS2 tests were brought in,
although changes to the writing teacher assessment since
2016 mean results from 2016 to 2018 are not directly
comparable.
- 78% of pupils met the expected standard in the grammar,
spelling and punctuation and punctuation test – unchanged
from 2018
- 79% of pupils met the expected standard in maths – up
from 76% in 2018
- 73% of pupils met the expected standard in reading
–down from 75% in 2018 but up from 66% in 2016
- 78% of pupils met the expected standard in writing –
unchanged from last year
School Standards Minister said:
These results show the majority of pupils are leaving
primary school ready to deal with the challenges of
secondary school. The pupils who performed well in these
tests will have demonstrated sophisticated grammatical
skills like using the subjunctive, the ability to divide
fractions and mastery of complex spellings.
We reformed these tests in 2016 to make sure they
assessed schools’ performance in equipping pupils to
understand the new, improved primary curriculum. These
skills will give them the chance to make the most of
their potential – this is at the heart of the reforms
we’ve introduced across the education system since 2010.
It’s testament to the hard work and dedication of
teachers that we have seen results rising over time
despite the bar of expectation having been raised.
This year’s results are the fourth to be released following
the introduction of more rigorous assessments in summer
2016, bringing primary education in line with the best in
the world.
The attainment gap between disadvantaged students and their
more affluent peers has fallen between 2011 and 2018. And
in 2016 England achieved its highest ever score in the
international PIRLs literacy study. This follows a greater
focus on reading in the primary curriculum, and a
particular focus on phonics.
National Curriculum Assessments – better known as SATs –
are intended as a measure of school standards, as opposed
to individual pupils. They enable government to hold
primary schools to account for their performance and also
highlight where pupils may need additional support when
they arrive in secondary school
