§ Martin LintonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the effect of the national literacy strategy on literacy skills amongst primary school children in Battersea. [123670]
§ Mr. Stephen TwiggThe National Literacy Strategy (together with the National Numeracy Strategy) has transformed standards in our primary schools and the 2002 test results at age seven and 11 were the best ever. Nationally, 75 per cent. of pupils achieved level four or above in the 2002 Key Stage 2 English tests, 10 percentage points more than in 1998. Compared to 1998, about 60,000 more 11-year olds achieved the expected level for their age in English.
The achievement gap between high and low performing schools and local education authorities (LEAs) has also narrowed significantly. The lowest achieving LEA is now performing at around the level of the average LEA of five years ago and the percentage of schools achieving below 65 per cent. in English and maths has been roughly halved since 1998.
103WThe improvement of literacy standards of pupils in Wandsworth LEA is broadly in line with the national improvement. In 1998 64 per cent. of pupils achieved level four or above in English at Key Stage 2. In 2002 the figure was 73 per cent. The Key Stage 2 results are provided at national, LEA, and school level. We are unable to disaggregate results for Battersea schools.