§ Baroness Blatchasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether primary schools have been told that pupils will be expected to reach Level 2A or 2B in National Curriculum tests at Key Stage 1 this year and Level 2C is no longer regarded as a satisfactory level of attainment for 7 year-olds; and, if so, whether this change in expectations has been reported to parents and governors. [HL2379]
§ The Minister of State, Department for Education and Employment (Baroness Blackstone)The standards for Level 2 remain the same as in previous years. Our targets for 2002 are for 80 per cent. of children to reach Level 4 in English and 75 per cent. of children to reach Level 4 in mathematics at age 11. In order to assist schools and parents in helping children to meet this level of attainment, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) has provided information showing clearly that children attaining Level 2C at age 7 are less likely than those reaching level 2A or 213 to reach Level 4 by the age of 11. This information has been given to all schools and local education authorities in the 1999 Key Stage 1 Assessment and Reporting Arrangements booklet published by the QCA in November 1998 and to parents in a leaflet,What you need to know about national tests and teacher assessment in 1999, published jointly by the DfEE and QCA in April 1999. The information is very helpful to schools and parents in the important task of raising standards of literacy and numeracy, which is crucial for individual children and for the nations's success in the future.