Oral question asked in the House of Lords, by Lord Moser (Crossbench). It was answered on Tuesday, 28 June 2005.

Primary Schools: Literacy and Numeracy Hours

Question: My Lords, I am impressed by the real improvements that the Government have made with literacy and numeracy in the primary sector, but my impression was that there are still signs of evidence that, in the early years of secondary school, children who have improved in primary school sink back from their achievements, and also that the proportion of children leaving secondary school illiterate and innumerate has not improved greatly in recent years. Is the Minister able to respond to that?

Answer: My Lords, the noble Lord's impression is correct about the falling-off at the beginning of secondary education, but there has been a significant improvement in GCSE English standards at age 16.

Secondary information