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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National
Sally WealeEducation Correspondent

Post-pandemic test results fall sharply for youngest pupils in England

KS1 phonics results dropped for the first time since they were introduced in 2012.
KS1 phonics results dropped for the first time since they were introduced in 2012. Photograph: Nandana de Silva/Alamy

Attainment among seven-year-olds in England has fallen sharply across all subjects in the first set of tests since before the pandemic, with disadvantaged children’s results dropping even further behind, according to government data.

Results for this year’s key stage 1 (KS1) tests show a significant decline in attainment in reading, maths and, most dramatically, writing, in which the proportion of year 2 pupils reaching the expected standard declined by 11 percentage points.

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