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| Phonics test results rise again but poorer pupils lag behind | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| More than four in five primary school pupils in England passed the government’s check on reading and pronunciation for the first time, although figures showed wide gaps in attainment between pupils based on economic disadvantage and month of birth. | More than four in five primary school pupils in England passed the government’s check on reading and pronunciation for the first time, although figures showed wide gaps in attainment between pupils based on economic disadvantage and month of birth. |
| Results from the 2016 phonics check, carried out on five- and six year-olds in year one of primary school, showed 81% met the expected standard, a jump of four percentage points compared with 2015 and a 23 percentage point improvement on the 58% pass rate in 2012, when the test was introduced. | Results from the 2016 phonics check, carried out on five- and six year-olds in year one of primary school, showed 81% met the expected standard, a jump of four percentage points compared with 2015 and a 23 percentage point improvement on the 58% pass rate in 2012, when the test was introduced. |
| The phonics check requires pupils to correctly pronounce a list of 40 words and sounds. It was introduced to reinforce the Department for Education’s (DfE) adoption of synthetic phonics as the mandatory technique for teaching the first stages of literacy, known as decoding. | The phonics check requires pupils to correctly pronounce a list of 40 words and sounds. It was introduced to reinforce the Department for Education’s (DfE) adoption of synthetic phonics as the mandatory technique for teaching the first stages of literacy, known as decoding. |
| Nick Gibb, the schools minister, hailed the result as “fundamental” to improving reading in England. “Thanks to the hard work of teachers, our continued focus on raising standards and our increased emphasis on phonics, there are now an additional 147,000 six-year-olds on track to becoming fluent readers,” he said. | Nick Gibb, the schools minister, hailed the result as “fundamental” to improving reading in England. “Thanks to the hard work of teachers, our continued focus on raising standards and our increased emphasis on phonics, there are now an additional 147,000 six-year-olds on track to becoming fluent readers,” he said. |
| “While this is a huge achievement, we know there is more to do. We will work with schools and local authorities to ensure even more young people have the knowledge and skills they need to get on in life.” | “While this is a huge achievement, we know there is more to do. We will work with schools and local authorities to ensure even more young people have the knowledge and skills they need to get on in life.” |
| The figures were published alongside the first results of teacher assessments carried out at the end of key stage one – year two in primary school – showing three in four pupils meeting the tougher standards introduced this year in reading and maths, but just 65% achieving the same in writing. | The figures were published alongside the first results of teacher assessments carried out at the end of key stage one – year two in primary school – showing three in four pupils meeting the tougher standards introduced this year in reading and maths, but just 65% achieving the same in writing. |
| The DfE’s statisticians said that because the reformed teacher assessments involved a new, higher standard, they were not comparable to key stage one results from previous year. | The DfE’s statisticians said that because the reformed teacher assessments involved a new, higher standard, they were not comparable to key stage one results from previous year. |
| The phonics check and the key stage one assessments showed considerable variations in attainment, with boys in most cases lagging behind girls, and children from disadvantaged backgrounds – especially those recorded as white British – well behind their better-off peers. | The phonics check and the key stage one assessments showed considerable variations in attainment, with boys in most cases lagging behind girls, and children from disadvantaged backgrounds – especially those recorded as white British – well behind their better-off peers. |
| “The data shows attainment gaps remain a challenge. More girls than boys continue to meet the phonics standard but this gap is decreasing, the gap between pupils eligible for free school meals and all other pupils has narrowed again, which is welcome,” said Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers. | “The data shows attainment gaps remain a challenge. More girls than boys continue to meet the phonics standard but this gap is decreasing, the gap between pupils eligible for free school meals and all other pupils has narrowed again, which is welcome,” said Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers. |
| But Hobby noted that the attainment gap between special needs pupils and others had not changed. | But Hobby noted that the attainment gap between special needs pupils and others had not changed. |
| The figures also showed schools in inner London outperforming most of the rest of the country, especially in writing at the end of key stage one. | The figures also showed schools in inner London outperforming most of the rest of the country, especially in writing at the end of key stage one. |
| The data showed 73% of pupils in inner London schools reached the expected standard in writing, compared with 65% in state schools in England as a whole. The same London areas also got the best pass rates in reading and maths. | The data showed 73% of pupils in inner London schools reached the expected standard in writing, compared with 65% in state schools in England as a whole. The same London areas also got the best pass rates in reading and maths. |
| Outside London, the north-east region – including Northumberland, Middlesbrough and Redcar – was the best performer, with the highest proportion of children meeting expectations in reading, writing and maths. | Outside London, the north-east region – including Northumberland, Middlesbrough and Redcar – was the best performer, with the highest proportion of children meeting expectations in reading, writing and maths. |
| The new system of teacher assessments – which replaced national levels – revealed sharp ethnic and gender divides. Just 58% of white boys reached the expected level in writing, while 72% of white girls did so. | The new system of teacher assessments – which replaced national levels – revealed sharp ethnic and gender divides. Just 58% of white boys reached the expected level in writing, while 72% of white girls did so. |
| Data from phonics checks also showed stark differences in results based on month of birth. Among year one pupils, those born in September, at the start of the school year, had a 87% pass rate, compared with those born in August, who had a 72% pass rate. | Data from phonics checks also showed stark differences in results based on month of birth. Among year one pupils, those born in September, at the start of the school year, had a 87% pass rate, compared with those born in August, who had a 72% pass rate. |
| The gap was more pronounced when gender and birth month were combined. Nine out of 10 girls born in September passed the phonics check, while about seven in 10 boys born in August managed to do the same. | The gap was more pronounced when gender and birth month were combined. Nine out of 10 girls born in September passed the phonics check, while about seven in 10 boys born in August managed to do the same. |