TWO in five Barnsley pupils failed to meet the expected standard in writing, reading and maths in the last academic year.
Department for Education figures show 1,783 of 2,945 key stage two pupils in Barnsley met the expected standard for reading, writing and maths in 2023/24.
This was the same as the year before, but down from 66 per cent in 2018/19, before the pandemic.
The figures also show six per cent of pupils achieved a higher standard in the three compulsory SAT assessments all pupils take.
Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “We’re gradually making progress towards returning to pre-pandemic attainment in SATs thanks to a great deal of hard work by staff in our primary schools.
“But this has been made more difficult by lack of sufficient government investment in education recovery, high levels of child poverty, staff shortages and inadequacy of school funding.
“Disadvantaged children and those with additional needs are the worst affected because they face the greatest challenges and need the most support.”
