Ministers publish Sats test results

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Last year's figures for the national curriculum Key Stage 3 tests - or "Sats" - caused concern after a fall in the number of pupils making the grade in English.

But headteachers argued the national figures were "of very little use" and should not be taken too seriously.

John Dunford, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: "Key Stage 3 tests should be treated as a staging post on the way to the more important examinations at 16 and 18. They should not be turned into league tables which create days of national soul-searching.

"They are simply a test of progress in three subjects by all 14-year-olds and while they provide useful internal information for schools, the national statistics are of very little use."

His comments came after the head of England's exams watchdog, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, warned that schools spend too long preparing pupils for their national tests.

Ken Boston, QCA chief executive, said last week drilling children to pass the tests damages their broader education.

Around 600,000 pupils took the tests in England this year. National tests are also taken in primary schools.

Last year's results showed 27% of pupils fell short of Level 5 - the standard expected of 14-year-olds - in the English national curriculum tests. For reading the failure rate rose to one in three.

And just six out of 10 pupils made the grade in all three "Rs" of reading, writing and maths.