West Berkshire primary schools do well in 3Rs

District pupils are ahead of the curve in early tests of reading, writing and basic maths

YOUNG pupils in West Berkshire are ahead of the curve in reading, writing and maths, according to teacher assessment league tables published by the Department for Education on Monday.

The results of the so-called ‘3Rs' (reading, writing and arithmetic) Key Stage One tests have shown that 83,000 seven-year-olds across the country have a reading age of no better than a five-year-old and that almost 106,000 cannot write at the level expected. Around 58,000 pupils did not achieve the required grade in maths.

But West Berkshire, along with a handful of other local authorities, bucked the trend.

The district came joint third overall in reading, with 91 per cent of pupils achieving the required grade, only one percentage point behind top-scoring Rutland and Windsor and Maidenhead.

In writing, 88 per cent of pupils in West Berkshire achieved the required grade, enough for joint fourth position and in maths, the district's 94 per cent pass rate was good enough for joint third.

West Berkshire executive councillor for education, Irene Neill (Con, Aldermaston), said: "These results are excellent and it is good to know that children in West Berkshire are getting such a good start to their education. This gives a really good foundation for their further education."