An extra 400 children across the region achieved the national standard in SATs this summer – fuelled by major improvements in reading skills.
Their success is captured in the latest primary school league tables, which show two per cent more Potteries pupils mastered the basics across reading, writing and maths in 2018.
Results also rose by four per cent in Cheshire East schools and by two per cent in Staffordshire schools.
But this was largely due to the much stronger performance in literacy assessments. The proportion of Stoke-on-Trent’s 11-year-olds reaching the expected standard in maths has actually fallen by one per cent over the last year.
To see the Stoke-on-Trent league table, click here
To see the Staffordshire league table, click here
To see the Cheshire East league table, click here
Overall, the city has come 146th out of 152 areas in England based on the combined reading, writing and maths measure. Staffordshire is in 83rd place and Cheshire East is 46th.
Topping the tables in the Potteries is Trentham’s Ash Green Primary Academy.
Headteacher Ruth Foster said: “We are particularly pleased with children’s progress. Our children are so enthusiastic and we have some fantastic staff.”
The school saw nine out 10 of its Year 6 pupils reach the standard expected for their age.
Youngsters are challenged to explore classic texts in their lessons. Ash Green is also part of a project to bring Shakespeare’s work to life for pupils.
“We are having a Shakespeare festival at the New Vic Theatre. The children are looking at The Tempest,” added Mrs Foster.
“We’ve really tried to raise the profile of reading. Last year, grandparents came in to read with the children. We also had a Year 6 sleep-over, where they brought in longer books.”
The city’s top bookworms attend St Teresa’s Catholic Primary, in Trent Vale, and Whitfield Valley Primary Academy, in Fegg Hayes. At both schools, more than half the pupils achieved the higher standard in reading.
While in Staffordshire, seven out of 10 youngsters from Berkswich Primary, in Stafford, and St Mary’s CE Primary, in Mucklestone, performed significantly above the national average in this subject.
St Mary’s is also one of the county’s best-performing schools for numeracy skills.
Pupils in Newcastle borough have proved to be in a league of their own today. They have snapped up half of the top 10 spots in Staffordshire, based on the proportion of them reaching the expected standard in English and maths.
Bursley Academy, in Bradwell, Hempstalls Primary, in Cross Heath, Castle Primary, in Mow Cop, Our Lady and St Werburgh’s Catholic Primary, in Clayton, and St Chad’s CE Primary, in Red Street, all scored at least 90 per cent on this measure.
Ben Grove, headteacher of Our Lady and St Werburgh’s, puts much of the success down to creating a ‘happy and caring working environment’.
He said: “The children feel well supported. Writing has been a clear focus for us. We have a lot of displays, so writing can be seen absolutely everywhere.
“Children have been writing to MPs and to parents, asking for support for charity events.”
Two of the region’s best-performing schools for writing are St Matthew’s CE Academy, in Rough Close, and Hempstalls Primary. And Eaton Park Academy and St Teresa’s Catholic Primary are counting success after coming top in Stoke-on-Trent for maths.
Numeracy skills are taught through adventure learning at Glebe Academy in Fenton.
Principal Suzanne Oakes-Smith said: “We’ve got a circuit around school that’s based on English and maths. They have to find things and do activities.”
There are also plenty of practical challenges to reinforce writing skills.
“With younger children, we get them to use a water pistol on the floor to help with their letter formation,” added Mrs Oakes-Smith.
But today’s tables also show a number of schools are struggling to achieve the Government’s floor standards.
They either need to get at least 65 per cent of pupils achieving national expectations in reading, writing and maths, or must make ‘sufficient’ progress in all three subjects. The floor for progress is -5 in reading, -5 in maths and -7 in writing.
Those affected include Chesterton Primary, Ball Green Primary, Northwood’s Grove Academy, and Clarice Cliff Primary in Fenton.
* The tables do not list schools where fewer than six pupils took SATs as it could identify individual children.
