The Key Stage 2 SATs results were published in full on Thursday and here we list every primary in Suffolk so you can compare your local schools.
The Department for Education confirmed that 49% of the county’s 11-year-olds met the new, toughened-up required benchmark in reading, writing and mathematics this summer, in the wake of controversial changes to Sats tests. This is below England’s all-school average of 53%.
But Suffolk has climbed the national league table, moving to joint 123rd position – behind Norfolk (50%, joint-119th) and Essex (56%, joint-50th). Suffolk was ranked joint-134th last year and 140th in 2014.
Easton Primary School and Wilby Church of England were the two best performing schools in Suffolk. The small rural schools, with a combined 163 pupil cohort, ensured every 11-year-old achieved the new standard.
But 14 schools (7%) in Suffolk fell below the new floor standard, in comparison to 14 (3%) in Essex. Schools are considered under-performing if under 65% of pupils fail to reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, or if they fail to make sufficient progress in these three key areas.
Graham White, who represents Suffolk on the National Union of Teachers’ national executive committee, said: “Suffolk, despite the much publicised Raising the Bar, is still not performing as well as schools nationally or in Norfolk. Suffolk still has much to do if they are to improve their league table position.
“But teachers have responded very positively to the inappropriate testing regime.”
Gordon Jones, education cabinet member at Suffolk County Council, said: “The national ranking increase shows Suffolk is moving in the right direction and that the hard work and effort put in by parents, teachers and pupils is paying off. We have recently seen great progress in GCSE, A-level and Early Years Foundation results and we are confident that next year once the new Key Stage 2 system has bedded in that this will be the case across all levels.”
Labour’s SCC education spokesman, Sonia Barker, said: “While any progress must be viewed as a positive, there is a huge dichotomy between the ‘have’s’ and ‘have not’s’. A postcode lottery is unacceptable.”
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