East Sussex seven-year-olds ace new SATs

Seven-year-olds in East Sussex have aced the recent controversial SATs assessments.
Nick Gibb MP PPP-160324-131441001Nick Gibb MP PPP-160324-131441001
Nick Gibb MP PPP-160324-131441001

The tests at the end of Key Stage 1 – which were roundly criticised by parents and teachers alike – saw youngsters assessed for their skills and understanding in writing, maths, science and reading.

Figures published by the Department for Education on Thursday (September 29), showed East Sussex youngsters had beaten the national average in all four areas and matched the average when it came to their understanding of phonics – the sounds words make.

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The results for reading saw 76 per cent of children achieve the expected standard, compared to 74 per cent nationally.

In maths, the figure was 75 per cent, compared to 73 per cent nationally, while in science 84 per cent made the expected standard, compared to 82 per cent nationally.

Writing was the best subject for East Sussex children, with 69 per cent making the grade, compared to the 65 per cent average.

In phonics, 81 per cent of children met the required standard, matching the national average and out-performing their West Sussex neighbours, whose score stood at 77 per cent.

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The phonics results have improved year-on-year, from 51 per cent in 2012, and this was the first time they had matched the average.

The Department for Education figures showed girls had out-performed boys in both phonics and Key Stage 1 SATs, performing particularly well in science, where 86 per cent met the expected standard.

Comparing the countywide results, youngsters in the Wealden area performed the best, with Lewes and Eastbourne children also beating the national average in all four subject areas.

The Department for Education also recorded the results based on the ethnicity of each child.

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The county’s Asian and black children led the way in reading, with an impressive 81 per cent achieving the expected standards. The Asian children proved themselves to be the top performers in all three of the other subject areas.

Speaking in his role as school standards minister, Bognor Regis and Littlehampton MP Nick Gibb praised the nationwide results. Mr Gibb said the government intended to ensure all children could read fluently by the time they left primary school, adding these SATs results had shown 147,000 Key Stage 1 youngsters were “on track to becoming fluent readers”.

He added: “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.”

To view the results in full, log on to www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education .

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