Primary school standards in Shropshire up, says watchdog
Education standards in Shropshire primary schools have improved while those in secondary establishments have slipped, according to inspectors.
The percentage of children going to good or outstanding primary schools is up seven per cent in Telford and Wrekin, and four per cent in the rest of Shropshire.
The figures come as part of a report on the state of teaching across England.
According to Her Majesty's chief inspector of schools, Sir Richard Wilshaw, England's education presents a varied picture.
Increasingly, the quality of education for children before the age of 11 is high, but from age 11 onwards, the picture is less promising.
In Shropshire, 85 per cent of pupils are in good or outstanding primary schools which is a four per cent rise on last year. Nine per cent of pupils are taught in academies.
In Telford and Wrekin, 88 per cent of primary school pupils attend good or outstanding schools which is a seven percent change on last year. Three per cent of pupils study in academies.
In the West Midlands, under which Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin falls under, there are 345,477 pupils in secondary schools.
In Shropshire 73 per cent of pupils attend good or outstanding schools which represents a two per cent fall on last year's results and 60 per cent of pupils are taught in academies.
Meanwhile in Telford and Wrekin, 65 per cent attend good or outstanding schools which is a drop of 24 per cent on the same time last year and 47 per cent of students are taught in academies. Five schools have been put into special measures this year.
Sir Richard says secondary schools generally have not improved as quickly as primary schools, and increasingly general FE colleges are struggling.
"This is true to some extent in all parts of the country, but it is in the North and Midlands that these weaknesses are having the greatest impact," he said in his report published this week.
Across England, 85 per cent of primary schools are good or outstanding compared with 74 per cent of secondary schools. Just under 700,000 children in England attend secondary schools that are less than good, of these, 143,000 are in failing schools. Of the 173 failing secondary schools in the country, 130 are in the North and Midlands.
Sir Wilshaw added: " I welcome the ongoing improvement in the standard of education offered in our primary and secondary schools, but I note that there is a troubling gap between the performance of secondary schools in the North and Midlands and secondary schools in the rest of the country."
