The Government's flagship numeracy and literacy strategies in primary schools have failed, claims a report by the think tank Policy Exchange.
Rising Marks, Falling Standards says that despite the £2bn investment in the National Strategies, levels of improvement were faster before they were introduced.
'SAT results at the end of primary school are now improving at an average of less than 1 per cent a year and results for high-achieving pupils are falling year on year in all three core subjects,' it says.
Anna Fazackerley, head of Policy Exchange's education unit, said, 'Our education system is letting down our children at every stage, not only in primary schools. This report is an indictment of the failure of the Government's education policy, which must be rectified.'
Further information: www.policyexchange.org.uk