Fewer primary school pupils are reaching the level expected of them in English, national curriculum test results showed today.

The proportion of 11-year-olds reaching the benchmark in Level 4 in English fell by one per cent this year.

Figures published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families also reveals the proportion of children reaching the required standard in maths and science has also stalled.

The results showed that 80 per cent of pupils reached Level 4 in English, down from 81 per cent last year.

Seventy nine per cent reached this level in maths, the same as last year while 88 per cent reached the benchmark in science, again the same as last year.

Schools in the Shropshire Council area are among the highest performing in England and are expected to repeat their success.

A council spokeswoman said: “Shropshire expects to achieve well in the 2009 Key Stage Two national curriculum tests and we are expecting particular improvement in the percentage of pupils achieving Level 5 in maths compared to last year.”

Last year in Shropshire Council schools 84 per cent of pupils gained the benchmark Level 4 in English, 80 per cent in maths and 90 per cent in science. Teaching unions are warning that up to one in five of today’s results may be inaccurate because of concerns over the quality of marking.