RECORD SATs results are being celebrated by primary schools across Oldham as they surge ahead of national averages in the basics of English and maths.
The provisional 2014 results released by the Government show the proportion of the borough’s 11-year-olds achieving the national standard expected in reading, writing and mathematics – Level 4 – at is now 79.9 per cent.
This is up from 77 per cent last year – and sees Oldham pulling further ahead of the national average of 75 per cent across 16,000 primary schools nationwide.
Schools are expected to ensure 60 per cent of their pupils achieve Level 4 or above in reading, writing, and maths.
Level 4 indicates pupils can spell properly, start to use grammatically complex sentences, employ joined up handwriting, multiply and divide whole numbers by 10 or 100 and use simple fractions and percentages.
The results will now be examined in closer detail by the new Oldham Education and Skills Commission.
The initiative, chaired by former Education Secretary Estelle Morris, has been launched to help raise local standards and aspirations so every child can achieve their full potential.
Councillor Amanda Chadderton, Cabinet Member for Education and Safeguarding, said: “Oldham has more than doubled the lead it had on the national average last year in SATs results, so this is really encouraging news.
“It’s absolutely vital that children leaving primary school are well placed to achieve success at secondary school.
“While SATs results are just one part of that complex picture, this is clearly good evidence of progress and I would like to congratulate youngsters, staff and parents for the parts they’ve all played in this success.
“An important part of what the new Education Commission is doing is to look at results like this in more detail, try to understand what is working well, identify where there are areas of underachievement, and look at how we can spread best practice across the wider education system across the borough.
“These results are encouraging – but we aim to do even better for our young people in the future.”
