Standards in Shropshire schools, from nursery to secondary level, are among the highest in the country, education watchdogs will be told today.

A detailed analysis of exam results, tests and trends this year is contained in an 18-page report being presented to the children and young people’s services scrutiny committee of Shropshire Council.

“The overall standards of attainment in 2009 in Shropshire schools and Early Years settings, are again good, and on many indicators show very pleasing year on year improvements,” says the report.

But it points to a drop in maths results in tests for 11-year-olds – Key Stage Two – which has led to “significant analysis and discussion”.

The council and schools have “responded swiftly” to reverse this trend. The report says outcomes for the Early Years Foundation St- age have shown a sustained and steady improvement.

More children have achieved a high score of six-plus in their personal, social and emotional development, and in the key skills of communication, language and literacy. Children achieve above national expectations in all the areas of learning.

At this stage, Shropshire is being cited at both a national and regional level, as an authority with an “exceptional trend of improvement” over the last three years.

At Key Stage One – seven-year-olds at the end of the infant stage – assessment results are good and above all main national indicators.

The report says a slight decline in writing, may not be significant and may reflect an increased expectation of teachers.

Key Stage Two tests results have remained above the national average for English and science. Maths results have fallen and are now broadly at the national level.

At Key Stage Four, GCSE and equivalent results are “very good” with continuous improvements across six of the seven main performance indicators. A-level attainment has improved.

The report says that no Shropshire secondary school has been identified by Government as low attaining or underperforming.

By Dave Morris