Down by a third, number of pupils aged 11 who reach target for three Rs

The number of pupils hitting targets for reading, writing and maths is down nearly a third, results from this year’s tougher SATs tests show.

Almost 200,000 children are in under-performing primary schools, the data reveals.

In total, 665 mainstream English primaries fell below the Government’s minimum standard, representing five per cent of the total.

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Meanwhile only half of white British pupils are meeting expected standards in tests at 11 – leaving them trailing well behind other ethnic groups.

Government figures show only 54 per cent of white British children are meeting targets in reading, writing and maths by the end of primary school.

This compares with 71 per cent of Chinese, 65 per cent of Indian, 62 per cent of Irish and 56 per cent of Bangladeshi children who hit the mark.

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Sutton Trust founder Sir Peter Lampl said: ‘The fact that Indian and Chinese pupils are performing much better than the national average is in itself a great achievement.

‘But it is worrying that by the end of primary school white British pupils have fallen behind.’

Read her full report here