SWINDON’S primary school pupils continue to improve according to new data which shows this year’s Key Stage 1 results were above the national average.

Provisional data published by the Department for Education on Thursday show that across areas of reading, writing, maths and science, the town’s five to seven-year olds met or exceed national averages.

In reading, 76 per cent of Swindon’s pupils reached the expected standard before reaching KS2 while 71 per cent of children met the required level of writing – soaring above England’s 68 per cent national average.

In maths 77 per cent of children reached the expected standard while 86 per cent of pupils topped the tables in science.

The data was compiled using results from 2,927 primary school children.

The DfE found while figures were up, girls fared far better in their achievements compared to boys but overall, Swindon schools came out better than Wiltshire.

The results will be warmly welcomed by headteachers, council bosses and parents as the town’s KS1 results were a point of contention when Ofsted’s south west regional director, Bradley Simmons, published a damning letter about the state of education in Swindon last November.

In his letter, he claimed Swindon’s seven-year-olds were the joint lowest performers in reading in the south west.

This new KS1 data also comes just days after results showed that Swindon’s newly-graded English and maths GCSE results were the worst in the south west.

Coun David Renard, the leader of the Swindon Borough Council, said: “I am delighted to see that these results are in line with and above national averages in many subjects.

"There has been good improvement and outcomes at the end of Key Stage 1 in all subjects, particularly in phonics where an improvement of five per cent has been made, achieving the national average.

“The dedicated work programmes in phonics teaching that have taken place in primary schools, as well as the guidance and support provided by the Swindon Challenge board, has helped to improve the results.

"I would like to thank the head teachers, staff and Governors for their hard work in helping students to achieve the results, and to say well done to the children for doing so well.”

In recent months, primary schools in the town have continued to show improved progress since Ofsted’s letter when last month, Swindon’s KS2 results were ranked among some of the most improved in the country.

The DfE found 61 per cent of 11-year-olds are now reaching the required standards in reading, writing and maths – moving the borough’s schools up 78 places in the provisional league tables for all authorities in this key measure.

The increase in the figures has been due to the hard work of primary school staff and governors, the sharing of best practice between schools, support from education advisors and governor support staff and the fact that teachers have adjusted to a new marking system.