REVEALED: How Bradford primary schools fared in the Key Stage 2 results

However, new ways of measuring the school progress of Key Stage 2 (11 year olds) mean the latest figures cannot be compared to previous years' school performance tables.

The latest primary school assessments have been released today, and are the first since a new system of measuring school performance was introduced.

In terms of the percentage of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, Bradford is the joint fifth worst performer in the country.

However, there were nine other authorities that posted lower results in this area.

Just 47 per cent of Bradford's pupils reach this level, tying the authority with Calderdale, Birmingham, Halton and Oldham.

The lowest scoring authority was Bedford, where just 42 per cent reach this level.

However, this table does not include the new "progress scores" introduced by the government this year.

In previous years, the Department for Education's data has shown as a main measure the proportion of pupils at each mainstream primary school in England achieving Level 4 - the standard expected of 11-year-olds in reading, writing and maths.

These "levels" have been now scrapped, and students receive a scaled score in each of the three areas. Pupils are expected to reach a new standard based on these scaled scores in each subject.

This standard has been set higher than the old Level 4.

This year's data shows the proportion of pupils at each school reaching the new expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Schools have also received progress scores for each of the three areas, based on the progress pupils have made between the ages of seven and 11.

Because of the harder criteria the percentage of pupils achieving the "expected standard" in reading, writing and maths plummeted in most local authority areas.

In 2015 the Bradford figure was 76 per cent.

Even the best performing local authorities saw the figure dramatically fall - in Kensington and Chelsea the percentage reaching the required standard was 70 per cent, compared to 91 last year.

This year, the government has said that primaries will be considered under-performing if fewer than 65 per cent of pupils fail to reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, or if they fail to make sufficient progress in these three key areas.

This is the first year pupils have been assessed under the new system, which ties in with the new primary national curriculum introduced in 2014.

This means the latest results can't be compared with previous years results, making it more difficult to see how individual schools have progressed.

The DfE said the changes were to ensure "fairness across all schools, including those that have more challenging intakes."

However Ian Murch, Bradford Spokesman for the National Union of Teachers, said: "Tables are not the best way of evaluating schools, and these haven't got any better. 

"You can't compare these tables to any previous tables. They are based on different statistics and different types of exams, and almost everyone agrees last year's SAT exams were something of a disaster.

"Theses exams and results are much too political - each secretary of state for education wants their own system.

"It is almost certain the criteria for creating these tables is going to change again next year.

"If you produce league tables then the problem is the next year a schools could get completely different results. The results of just one child could completely change a school's standing compared to previous years."

School Standards Minister Nick Gibb said: "This year's SATs are the first that test the new primary school curriculum in English and maths that we introduced in 2014.

"This new curriculum raises expectations and ensures pupils become more accomplished readers and are fluent in the basics of arithmetic, including times-tables, long division and fractions.

"Many schools have responded well to this more rigorous curriculum, supporting their pupils to be leaving primary school better prepared for the demands of secondary school."

SEE THE FULL KEY STAGE 2 RESULTS TABLE HERE

One of Bradford’s best performing schools proved to be Horton Park Primary in Canterbury. It had the highest percentage of pupils reaching required standards, 90 per cent, and showed great progress in reading, writing and maths.

Head teacher Salma Rahman said: “We are extremely proud of the exceptional results achieved by our children. This remarkable achievement is a true reflection of our children’s thirst for knowledge and their positive attitudes to learning.”

Another school that performed well was Baildon CE Primary School - 76 per cent of pupils achieved required standards, and also showed good progress in the three main areas.

Its head teacher Mary Connor said: “We’re delighted with the performance levels we’ve achieved.

“We were dealing with a new system, so we’re happy that the improvement we’ve put in place at the school have been reflected in these results.”

Councillor Imran Khan, Bradford Council’s executive member for education said: “Today’s figures show we are ranked 139th out of 152 local education authorities. This is an improvement on last year but we of course know we have much more to do.

“There are encouraging signs but we all want to accelerate improvement.

“We are pleased to see that the proportion of 11-year-old pupils in Bradford reaching the expected standard in writing is in line with the national average.

“Despite the more challenging KS2 tests this year, Bradford primary schools are narrowing the gap with the national average.

“We have set the target for the performance of our pupils to match or better the national average and are working together with all Bradford schools and the Regional Schools Commissioner to achieve this.”

Conservative's group education spokesman Councillor Debbie Davies said: “I think this is a much better way of measuring how a school is doing. Schools will have to be aware it is not just about results any more, it is about how much pupils improve.”

Councillor David Ward, Lib Dem education spokesman, said: “These tables are more looking at schools providing a good level of development. I think we’ll get a much better idea of how schools are doing when we have next year’s results.”

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