Town secondary schools top in county

According to government figures released today the town’s 14-year olds top the league in South Yorkshire in national curriculum tests.

Rotherham’s overall points score of 34.1 was better than Sheffield’s 33.6, Barnsley’s 33.4 and Doncaster’s 33.7.

But Rotherham’s performance was marginally down on last year - and still well below the target set by the Government for raising standards. According to experts, Yorkshire’s test results are the worst in the country. Ministers were aiming for 85 per cent of pupils to reach level five in both maths and English - but across the county the average figure was closer to 74 per cent.

In Rotherham 69 per cent of pupils achieved level five in English and science, and 72 per cent reached the same level in maths.

Last week Rotherham was celebrating after figures showed the town’s 11-year olds had performed well in key stage two tests. Pupils’ performance in reading was said to be among the best in the UK.

But the latest figures show fewer 14-year-olds are making the grade in maths and science, while standards in English at Key Stage 3 are no better than two years ago.

Pam Milner, of the National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers, has already called on the Government to investigate why Yorkshire’s performance was so poor. She said: “If you look at the raw figures then clearly there is a problem. There needs to be more money put into identifying why this is happening.”

A Rotherham education spokesman said: “Rotherham pupils have again made a good showing. The results were the best in South Yorkshire and showed continuing improvement."