Boys close gender gap in English, test results show

Boys are closing the gender gap in English national curriculum tests for 11-year-olds and forging ahead of girls in maths, results showed yesterday.

Figures showed they had cut the gap in reading by two percentage points and in writing by one - while they are now two percentage points ahead of girls in maths.

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The trend, part of an overall improvement in results, was welcomed by ministers who have poured millions into giving one-to-one coaching to pupils.

However, despite an overall improvement in results, there are still concerns over writing standards. The writing test was the only one that showed no overall improvement, with 40 per cent of boys (about a quarter of a million) failing to reach the required standard before going on to secondary school.

Overall, the results showed a one percentage point improvement in all three subjects tested - maths, English and science. That meant 80 per cent reaching the required standard in English, 76 per cent in maths and 88 per cent in science.

The figures mean schools have finally reached the target set for 2002 by new Labour when it first came to power. Estelle Morris resigned from the post of Education Secretary when that target was not reached.

And the Government is still well short of the target of 85 per cent reaching the required standard in maths and English set for 2006 - and that remains in place for 2008.

The Schools minister, Lord Adonis, "very strongly welcomed" the narrowing of the gender gap. While there was no overall improvement in writing, the percentage of boys reaching the required standard had risen by 8 per cent to 60 per cent in the past four years.

He added: "The figures show we are making progress towards the target. Today's primary school children have achieved the best set of key stage two [education for 7- to 11-year-olds] results we have seen and I congratulate all pupils and teachers on their hard work and achievement." However, he cautioned: "There is much more still to be done."

This year's results will not show any improvements in English brought about by the Government's insistence on teaching phonics from the start of primary schooling, which was introduced last year. In addition, from September, children will be expected to learn mental arithmetic a year earlier - and become fluent in sums by the age of seven or eight.

Opposition party spokesmen cautioned against celebrating this year's results.

Nick Gibb, the Conservatives' schools spokesman, pointed to the lack of improvement in writing, adding: "Gordon Brown says improving education is his passion but after 10 years of being in government, two out of five 11-year-olds are still leaving primary school without mastering the basics." Stephen Williams, the Liberal Democrats' schools spokesman, added: "Ministers should put the champagne on ice. It is a hollow boast to claim the best ever results when four out of 10 children still leave primary school without an adequate grasp of the basics in maths, English and science."

The results in detail

This year's results show 80 per cent of 11-year-olds reached the required standard in English, 77 per cent in maths and 88 per cent in science. That means a one percentage point improvement in all three.

A gender breakdown shows 85 per cent of girls reached the required standard in English, compared with 76 per cent of boys. Writing, however, needs improvement, according to the experts, with only 75 per cent of girls and 60 per cent of boys reaching the required standard.

Surprisingly, the figure for boys is an improvement of one percentage point, while the girls have shown no improvement. In maths, 76 per cent of girls reached the standard compared with 78 per cent of boys.