Medway’s exam results show great improvements

Medway’s infant and primary school children have made significant improvements in their examination results this year.

According to key stage 1 results released by the Department for Education, Medway has been placed as the eighth top local authority in England for writing.

More Medway children are also reaching the expected standard in key stage 1 reading and mathematics, as well as the same standard in phonics, compared with last year. Medway has climbed the table in mathematics, now sitting as the 18th top authority, and in reading Medway is 21st out of 150 authorities.

Not only has Medway shown greater improvement than the national average in its key stage 1 results, but this year’s Medway Test results were positive with 1,493 children assessed eligible to start a Medway grammar school in September 2018 – of these 756 children are Medway residents.

More children sat this year’s Medway Test compared to last year, with 2,960 children taking the test for 2018 admissions and 2,827 children sitting papers the previous year. This year the minimum score required to be assessed as suitable for admission to a Medway grammar school was 495.

Cllr Martin Potter, Portfolio Holder covering Educational Attainment and Improvement at Medway Council, said: “It is pleasing to see academic results in key stage 1 have significantly improved. Medway has scored as eighth best in the country in writing and also made greater improvement than the national average in maths and reading. This is a testament to the children’s hard work and teachers’ dedication to finding innovative ways to help teach young pupils.”

Cllr Andrew Mackness, Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services at Medway Council, said: “The number of children sitting the Medway Test has increased and I’m pleased to confirm that so has the number being assessed as grammar ability. Medway has a great selection of secondary schools to help children of all abilities further develop their skills. Families of children in year six have been making the important decision of choosing a secondary school and I wish each and every one of them the greatest success throughout their education.”