Primary schools 'not stretching the brightest pupils', SATs results reveal

Although this year's results show more pupils are meeting the 'level four' pass mark, fewer are going on to achieve 'level five'.

The outcome prompted warnings from the Tories that teachers are under increasing pressure to scrape passes for their pupils while neglecting high-fliers.

At last: National school SATs results for 11-year-olds were finally released today after marking delays

At the same time, it emerged that four in ten children are leaving primary school without a basic mastery of the three Rs.

Almost 220,000 pupils will move up to secondary school next month without the reading,writing and maths skills needed to cope with the curriculum.

This is despite Labour investing billions of pounds over the past decade in literacy and numeracy drives.

The national tests were taken by nearly 581,500 11-year-olds in English, maths and science this spring.

The results, published yesterday, revealed a one percentage point rise in the number of pupils achieving the standard expected for their age - level four - in both English and maths, taking the totals to 81 per cent and 78 per cent respectively. Science results were unchanged on 88 per cent.

However, the numbers achieving the higher level five fell five percentage points in English - the biggest drop since the tests began in 1995 - one in maths and three in science.

Official figures from the Department for Children showed only 12 per cent of pupils - one in eight - scored a level five in the three subjects.

Pupils achieving level four needed to gain just 43 per cent in English and 45 per cent in science compared to 69 per cent and 78 per cent for level five.

Level five pupils are expected to be able to produce well-organised and paragraphed work, use complex sentences and write for their audience and purpose.

However, official statisticians emphasised that yesterday's results were only provisional and subject to change because of the catalogue of blunders that has marred this year's tests.

Administration mistakes - largely blamed on testing firm ETS Europe - has led to a sharp rise in the number of delayed, missing or incorrect results.

Nearly 34,000 English papers - 6 per cent - were not included in the results. Some 17,500 in maths and science were missing.

The National Union of Teachers said the results should be taken with 'a massive pinch of salt'.

Schools Minister Jim Knight said: 'We think the school system is capable of doing better but it's doing an awful lot better than it was in 1997.'