Education improvements for Wolverhampton

Data released from the Early Years Foundation Stage suggested that 56.5 per cent of five year olds in the city are working at a "good level of development and 74pc of Year 1 pupils are working at or above the required phonics standard - up by 12pc and 8pc respectively from last year.

There is also good news at Key Stage 2, with 78pc of pupils meeting expected levels in reading, writing and maths tests, a three per cent increase compared to 12 months ago.

Councillor Phil Page, Wolverhampton City Council's education boss, said: "Although this is only provisional data, it is hugely encouraging and I'd like to congratulate our children and young people and their parents and teachers for helping to bring about what looks to be a notable increase in standards."

Local schools have recently put a greater emphasis on early years education with Wolverhampton City Council establishing an Early Years and Key Stage 1 improvement programme as part of its wider School Improvement Strategy.

The council has also introduced new monitoring systems designed to improve standards and identify underperforming schools so that it can offer support as necessary.

Councillor Page said: "We're committed to helping schools improve and to driving up standards for our children and young people and as part of this we've launched a programme of improvement which is already beginning to bear fruit.

"Of course all of us - schools, governors, parents and the council - have much more to do to improve standards across the board, from Early Years through to Key Stage 4.

"We are not resting on our laurels and will continue to do all we can to help our schools achieve even better results in future."