CHILDREN in Colchester are performing above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics, the latest government data has revealed.

Figures show an average of 66 per cent of school children in Colchester are meeting expected Government standards in reading, writing and maths by the end of Year Six.

The Department for Education publishes an annual tables detailing the performance of every school in the country based on the results of the Key Stage Two SATs tests.

Of the schools collated, the figures show St Thomas More’s Catholic School standing head and shoulders above the rest, with 97 per cent of its Year Six pupils meeting the expected government standard in the three key subjects.

More encouraging still, the data shows 30 per cent of these pupils achieved a higher standard than average.

It was a similar story at Hamilton Primary School, where 92 per cent of the 60 Year Six pupils were at the expected level of achievement.

Headteachers are keen to point out the indicators don’t measure each school’s quality and standards as a whole.

Bridget Harris, headteacher at St Thomas More’s, said: “This is all down to the hard work of staff and pupils, as well as their supportive families.

“From experience, parents who are looking for a school tend to look at these tables.

“But as a Catholic school our all round offer is much more than the particular areas measured in this table - particularly the arts.

“We put on eight performances a year at the school and I firmly believe these give our pupils the confidence to attack the rest of the curriculum.”

At Montgomery Junior School, 57 per cent of Year Six pupils met expected standards in the three subjects.

The figures showed the school fell ‘well below average’ in pupil reading progress.

Headteacher Michelle Wright said: “As I have only been at the school for a year, I can say that those results are not indicative of the current standards at the school.

“On my arrival we quickly identified reading as a target for school improvement and our recent Ofsted report found children are ‘encouraged to have a love of reading’ and our new reading sessions ‘skilfully develop fluency and comprehension.’

“We are committed to raising standards in reading, writing and maths and expect our results at the end of 2020 to reflect that drive and determination.”

Only 37 per cent of Year Six pupils at Monkwick Junior School met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, with youngsters falling below the average in reading and maths.

For a list of schools in the Colchester constituency, click here.

For a list of schools in the Harwich and North Essex constituency, click here