An increasing number of pupils in Wolverhampton are reaching the expected levels in reading, writing and maths, according to latest figures.

They show 80% of Year 6 pupils in the city reached level 4 or above in the three subjects in 2015, up from 79% the previous year.

That puts performance by pupils in Wolverhampton joint second among West Midlands councils and on a par with the national average.

More pupils are also making the progress expected of them between Key Stages 1 and 2. Last year, 95% of pupils made the expected progress in writing compared to 94% in 2014, while 91% were progressing well in maths, up from 90% in 2014.

In both subjects, Wolverhampton pupils performed better than the national average, with the city's ranking jumping from 70 to 50 out of 150 local authorities in writing, and from 68 to 62 in maths year-on-year.

Expected progress in reading was once again 91%, equal to the national average and among the highest in the West Midlands.

Councillor Claire Darke, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Education, said: "Once again our Year 6 pupils have performed well at Key Stage 2, and I'd like to congratulate teachers, pupils and parents on this splendid achievement.

"It is pleasing that pupils in Wolverhampton are ranked among the top performing in the whole of West Midlands, both in terms of Key Stage 2 outcomes at level 4 and above, and also progress from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 2.

"I am also pleased to see that pupils in Wolverhampton are performing at or above the national average at Key Stage 2 and, as a council, we are working closely with schools to build upon this positive momentum so that we can see even better outcomes for our young people in the future.

"By supporting and challenging schools we have helped ensure that more than three quarters of pupils are now able to attend secondary schools which are rated either good or outstanding by Ofsted, compared to barely half in 2013. We're expecting to see further improvements this year.

"We've also made a huge investment - some £270m - in recent years through our Building Schools for the Future programme, which has improved secondary school buildings and facilities so that they support and nurture learning and provide the best educational environment for our children and young people.

"Education in Wolverhampton is going places, and I'm confident that the steps we are taking, coupled with the excellent support of our school leaders, teachers, pupils and parents, will mean that we can continue to improve over the coming years."

  • released: Tuesday 19 January, 2016