Basic math, reading standards in England show no improvement

Standards in basic math and reading among 7–year–olds in England showed no improvement this year while fewer reached the expected writing skills for the second year running. Although there are no government targets for 7–year–olds, the results call into question the improvements in primary schools ministers claim to have brought about by introducing policies such the literacy and numeracy hours. Boys lag behind girls in all subjects, including mathematics, although the gap is smaller than in reading and writing. Read the article at Guardian Unlimited.