Failure in SATS

If, as expected, about 35,000 children will have left junior schools this summer without adequate ability to read or write, we shall be adding a further group to the 450,000 or so who have progressed with the same "handicap" since 1997.

All these have failed to achieve level three of the tests, let alone level four which is the looked for level for this age.

Leaving aside the complaints about marking accuracy and efficiency, and appeals by families or schools for re-marking, if the figure is anything approaching 35,000 it means that a further group will go to secondary school with a lack of competence in English needed for virtually all secondary classes. Unless resources are devoted to remedial teaching, these "failing students" will fall progressively further behind, become de-motivated and be candidates for truanting and disruption. There is an inevitability about it.