MORE than a quarter of Birmingham children have left primary school without a good grasp of writing.
And a fifth are unable to read or do sums properly.
The shocking results from Key Stage 2 Sats tests showed many 11-year-old were struggling with the basics of the three R’s.
In writing tests only 72 per cent – or 9,504 out of a total of 13,200 children – achieved Level 4 or above, the standard expected for their age.
Results were slightly better in maths with 78 per cent, or 10,296 children, making the grade.
And the best results came in reading as 80 per cent, or 10,560 children, reached the required standard.
Boys and girls both scored the same in the maths test.
But the boys lagged behind the girls in reading and writing.
In reading, 76 per cent of boys achieved up to Level 4, or above, against 85 cent of girls.
For writing, the figure fell to 65 per cent of boys reaching the required level, against 78 per cent of girls.
Coun Les Lawrence, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families, said although results had improved, the city’s education service faced “significant challenges” because of the volume of children moving to Birmingham from abroad.
He said: “There will be a number of children who are newly arrived in the country. We are a city which has a significant number, but the intent is always to get as close to 100 per cent as possible.”
Across Britain, the Sats tests showed one in three youngsters failed to achieve the level expected of them in reading, writing and maths, according to the Department for Education.
The National curriculum tests are taken by pupils in their final year of primary school, and have been fiercely opposed by teaching unions, with a boycott held last year.
Ministers announced plans last month, following an independent review, to scrap the creative writing paper from 2013.
The writing paper, which forms part of the overall writing test, has long been seen as the most controversial, with teachers arguing it is hard to mark because answers are open to interpretation.
Pupils will sit a beefed-up test in spelling, grammar and punctuation in the future.
