Primary Schools in Swindon have improved their performance for the first years of educations.

Schools attainment figures presented to Swindon Borough ‘s children’s health, care and education scrutiny committee shows achievements in the first two years of schooling across the town are getting much better.

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In 2015 the borough was ranked as 106th in England for Year 1 pupils achievements in phonics - the technique for learning to read - with 75 per cent of pupils reaching the required standard, 2 points below the English average. Last year Swindon was ranked at 76, with 82 per cent reaching the standard - exactly the national figure.

It’s even better by the end of Year 2 - 92 per cent reach the standard in phonic and Swindon is ranked 52 up from 75th place.

The improvements in the three R’s are marked. Two years ago the borough was 116th best in the country at reading for Key Stage 1, in 2018 it’s 43rd, with 77 per cent reaching or exceeding the standard, better than the national figure. In writing it’s better still, with Swindon breaking into the top 25, after being 104 in 2016 and 63 percent of children meeting or exceeding what’s expected, three points better than across England. In maths, Swindon is ranked 32nd after being 114th just two years ago.

Director of education at Euclid Street Peter Nathan told the committee: “It’s particularly pleasing to see the change at Key Stage 1. The Swindon Challenge has worked hard to improve these results.”

It’s more of a challenge to improve standards at Key Stage 2, for children aged seven to 11. While the town's ranking in writing improved from 149 in 2016 to 90 in 2018, and from 151 in science to 92, it dropped down the table in reading from 64 to 91 and in maths from 75 to 87.

Mr Nathan said: "It's important that we continue with the improvements we've made at Key Stage 1 into the next stages."

See Page 16 for a report on secondary school's performance.