BROKEN ENGLISH; Pupils can't spell.Byline: MARK ELLIS Mark Ellis is the name of:
THE number of primary school pupils failing to reach a basic level in English has fallen for the first time since school Sats tests were introduced. The results of this year's national curriculum Sats tests show one in five 11-year-olds are often unable to spell words with more than one syllable or construct a sentence using the correct punctuation. The pass rate for the benchmark Level 4 English test was 80% this year - down from 81% in 2008. Until now, pass results have either risen or remained level year-on-year since Sats testing was introduced in 1995. Figures from the Department for Children, Schools and Families The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) is a British government department created on 28 June 2007 on the disbanding of the Department for Education and Skills (DfES). It is responsible for all issues affecting people up to the age of 19 including education. show 115,400 pupils failed Level 4 English. More than 121,000, or 21%, failed Level 4 maths, which expects pupils to be able to recite their seven times table. The Government has a target for 78% of children to reach Level 4 in both English and maths by 2011. This year it stood at 72%. That means almost three in 10 pupils will start secondary school this year without a basic grasp of the three Rs. Schools Minister Diana Johnson Diana Ruth Johnson (born 25 July 1966, Northwich) is a British Labour Party Member of Parliament and former member of the London Assembly. Johnson is a barrister and was a councillor in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets from 1994 to 2002, serving as Chair of social admitted meeting the target will be difficult. She added: "Parents are going to be concerned about this blip as are headteachers and governing bodies. We have plans to deal with this." The plans include more one-to-one tuition for struggling pupils. Many teachers are calling for the Sats tests to be scrapped, claiming that the results are inaccurate. The National Association of Head Teachers was scathing about the latest figures, saying: "We encourage parents to ignore this meaningless nonsense." The National Union of Teachers, which has threatened to boycott next year's tests, said the figures do not give a true picture of the achievement in schools. General secretary Christine Blower said: "There are fundamental questions about the validity of some of the tests such as writing. The reality is that standards in primary schools are the best they have ever been." Children's Secretary Ed Balls has insisted Sats tests are here to stay. pounds 2BN AMOUNT THE GOVERNMENT HAS SPENT ON IMPROVING LITERACY AND NUMERACY numeracy Mathematical literacy Neurology The ability to understand mathematical concepts, perform calculations and interpret and use statistical information. Cf Acalculia. SINCE LABOUR WERE ELECTED IN 1997 500,000 The number of children who have left primary school unable to read or write since 1997, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the Liberal Democrats 1991 THE YEAR THAT SATS TESTS WERE INTRODUCED FOR SEVEN-YEAR-OLDS 80% THE 2009 PASS RATE FOR THE BENCHMARK LEVEL 4 ENGLISH TEST, DOWN FROM 81% IN 2008 CAPTION(S): STRUGGLE Diane Johnson HARD SPELL 1 in 5 kids struggle at English |
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