HUNDREDS of children starting secondary school this year in Hampshire finished primary education without meeting the Government standard, according to the Department for Education.

Key Stage 2 results for the 11-year-olds who took their SATs in May show that 35 per cent in Southampton did not achieve the required score in all their tests – 911 children in all.

That’s an attainment rate of 65 per cent, just above the England average of 64 per cent.

The tests are intended to measure how well a child is doing in reading, maths, and grammar.

They are also used to evaluate how well primary schools are preparing their pupils for secondary school.

Southampton girls did better than boys, with 70 per cent of girls meeting the standard compared to 61 per cent of boys.

In Hampshire Key Stage 2 results for the 11-year-olds show that 32 per cent did not achieve the required score in all their tests - 4,632 children in all and an attainment rate of 68 per cent.

Girls did slightly better than boys, with 71 per cent of girls meeting the standard compared to 64 per cent of boys.

But campaign group More than a Score says that schools looking to climb league tables focus too much on high SAT scores, and that SATs have “failed a generation of children”.

It says that younger children, who can get anxious taking a test, should be assessed in a less stressful way.

During Year 6, students are also evaluated separately by their teachers in reading, writing, science and maths. These assessments provide a broader picture of how well children are doing at school.

Children in Southampton did much better in KS2 teacher assessments than in the tests.

They did best in science, where 82 per cent of pupils met the required standard, and worst in writing, where 79 per cent of pupils made the grade. Hampshire children did best in science, where 86 per cent of pupils met the required standard, and worst in maths and writing, where 82 per cent of pupils made the grade.

To reach the expected standard in all of reading, writing and maths, a pupil must get a scaled score of 100 or more in reading and maths tests and an outcome of ‘working at the expected standard’ or ‘working at greater depth’ in writing teaching assessment.

Both Hampshire and Southampton education bosses were contacted for comment.