New league tables reveal only four schools in Northampton hit Government targets in reading, writing and maths

The figures released by the Department for Education this week have revealed that nationally around 200,000 pupils are not reaching the required standard.

A total of 676 schools in England - roughly one in 20 - failed to meet tough new targets imposed by the Government last year.

In Northampton, out of 57 schools, only four achieved the Government set target of having 65 per cent of its pupils achieving the “expected standard” in reading, writing and maths on leaving primary school.

The best two performing schools in the town, Preston Hedges Primary School and Wootton Primary School are situated less than a mile away from each other.

Head teacher for Preston Hedges, which has a library based in a double-decker bus, Paul Watson, said he was delighted with the results.

He said: “It reflects the hard work by our wider school community - particularly our hard working pupils.

“It’s about having high aspirations and a determination to be the best we can.”

Just 47 schools across the country, saw all pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

General secretary of NASUWT, the largest teachers’ union in the UK, Chris Keates, said the way in which the examinations were taken has “cast serious doubt on the validity and reliability of outcomes.”

He said: “It is for this reason that the Secretary of State announced in October that no school should be subject to intervention on the basis of this data alone, underlining the extreme caution with which it should be treated.

“The NASUWT remains clear that a fit for purpose accountability system should consider the performance of schools in the round and not solely on the basis of narrowly focused test and examination results.”

Top ten performing schools for meeting the “expected standard” in reading, writing and maths:

1) Preston Hedges Primary School: % of pupils meeting the expected standard 78%

2) Wootton Primary School: 75%

3) Hardingstone Academy - 70%

4) Bridgewater Primary School - 66%

5) Cedar Road Primary School - 64%

6)Delapre Primary School- 63%

=7)Abington Vale Primary School - 62%

=7)Weston Favell CofE Primary School - 62%

8)Simon de Senlis Primary School - 60%

9)Millway Primary School - 57%

10) Duston Eldean Primary School - 56%

The 10 schools with the lowest percentage of pupils meeting the “expected standard.”

1) Sunnyside Primary Academy - 20%

2) Green Oaks Primary Academy - 23%

3) Spring Lane Primary School - 25%

4) Eastfield Academy - 28%

5) Kings Heath Primary Academy - 30%

6) Vernon Terrace Primary School -32%

7) St Gregory’s Catholic Primary School - 34%

8) Upton Meadows Primary School - 36%

=9) All Saints CofE VA Primary - 37%

=9) Kingsthorpe Grove Primary School - 37%

10) Parklands Primary School - 38%

NB: Data for 12 schools in the county was not available. Figures are taken from the schools within a three mile radius of the town centre.

Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story did not make it clear that the top 10 figures were based on a three-mile radius from the town centre. We are happy to make it this clarification and have amended the article. The government website includes the option for a five-mile radius from the town centre. We have been asked to point out that, on the five-mile radius, other schools in Northampton - Lings Primary (33%), Blackthorn Primary (26%) and Thorplands Primary (29%) - would have been included in the top ten ahead of Parklands Primary, All Saints CofE, Kingsthorpe Grove and Upton Meadows.

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