Schools that have moved to the two tier system of education in Suffolk have seen as much as a 19% improvement in some subjects at key stage two, new SATS figures released today reveal.

Schools, such as those in Haverhill and Lowestoft, which started reorganisation from three tiers to two tiers in 2007, have achieved a 12% improvement in writing and a 6% jump in maths – in both cases double the rate of improvement across the rest of Suffolk.

The figures also reveal significant key stage two gains in schools across the county, with the percentage of children achieving the expected grade (level 4 and above) increasing in writing (7%) and maths (3%).

Children in 15 schools across the county aced their SATS with 100% of them achieved level 4 or above in reading and maths. And schools in more deprived parts of the county did equally well, with a much as 30% gains in reading and 25% gains in maths achieved.

Graham Newman, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for education and young people, said:

“These are by far the most encouraging education results we have seen in Suffolk for some years. They represent a tremendous amount of hard work by our schools, the county council’s Learning and Improvement Service and, of course, the children.

“I am particularly pleased to see schools in Haverhill and Lowestoft, which have gone through the whole Schools Organisation Review process, achieving such incredible results in such a short time. This provides the clearest evidence yet of the need to complete the reorganisation programme throughout the county.

“There isn’t a part of Suffolk which doesn’t have some positive news to take away from today. I hope this is just the start of great improvements to come.”

Today’s results also reveal other positive improvements:

Early Years (5 year olds)

 

• A 9% improvement in Early Years attainment.
• The gap between the lowest 20% of children and the rest cut by a third to 6% since 2009.

Key Stage One (7 year olds)

 

• Percentage of children achieving level 2b and above or more increasing by 1% in reading, writing and maths, placing Suffolk in line with, and in writing and maths above, the national average.

Key Stage Two (11 year olds)

 

• Since 2009, a sustained, year on year, improvement in writing and maths. Standards in writing have leapt 14% since 2009.
• A 6% increase in the number of children jumping two attainment levels in maths in the last year.
• Significant improvements by schools which will be undergoing reorganisation during the second and third phases of the school reorganisation programme (through targeted support).
• The number of schools achieving below expected levels (known as the ‘floor’) decreasing by 50% from 22 to 11 since 2010, as a result of targeted support.

The Government is expected to publish national statistics by the end of September, at which point it will be possible to compare Suffolk’s improvements with the rest of the country.