Standards of the Three Rs in infant schools have slumped to their lowest level for seven years, national test results reveal.

Seven-year-olds’ mastery of reading, writing and maths has returned to 2000 levels despite huge state spending on early education schemes…

Almost half of boys - nearly 140,000 - will start the next phase of primary school next week without the writing skills needed to be sure of coping with the courses…

The figures emerged days after research from Durham University found that spending of £21billion over the past decade on nursery education and childcare has failed to improve children’s ability to learn.

Experts also voiced concern that the infiltration of screen entertainment in the lives of the youngest children - including TVs, DVDs and computer games - was contributing to poor language skills.

Ministers, however, are optimistic that results will rally after the introduction of the traditional “synthetic phonics” system of teaching reading.

It was not made compulsory in schools until last September despite evidence that it can virtually wipe out illiteracy.

In maths, youngsters will learn their times tables at age eight, a year earlier than now.

There will also be a greater focus on mental arithmetic, with pupils expected to work out more answers using pencil and paper alone…

Tory schools spokesman Nick Gibb said: “Ministers are worryingly complacent about these figures.

“Until we get literacy and maths to significantly higher levels in the first two years of school, we will continue to have problems later on in the education system.

“This is hugely concerning as these early years of school are critical building blocks for a child’s education.” …

Source: This is London, UK
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