Progress in school tests 'slows'

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David Bell, permanent secretary at the Department for Children, Schools and Families, said progress in test and exam results had slowed.

But he stressed that the picture was still far better than a decade ago, with more pupils than ever achieving good marks in their GCSEs and Sats tests.

Mr Bell's remarks followed a recent warning from the Ofsted's chief inspector, Christine Gilbert, that standards in English and maths had "stalled".

During evidence to the Commons schools select committee, he was asked how he could claim the Government was making satisfactory progress in light of Ms Gilbert's judgment.

Mr Bell, a former head of Ofsted, said: "The chief inspector of course is right that we have not seen the rate of progress that we saw in the earliest period.

"But it is worth pointing out that again last year we saw the best ever achievement in relation to GCSEs and we saw the highest ever level of attainment amongst 11-year-olds," he said.

"What the chief inspector was rightly pointing to was that the rate of progress has been slower. Some people would say it gets more difficult if you set a higher and higher target."

But the Government had "ambitious targets" because "if all schools were able to achieve even what the top half did we would be close to if not exceeding our targets".

Last year, 47% of pupils in England scored five C grades in their GCSEs in subjects including maths and English. Among 11-year-olds, 20% failed to pass their Sats tests in English