Girls race ahead as boys lag behind

The percentage of 11-year-olds in Rochdale achieving the required standard in maths and reading is close to the national average — though girls are above the average and boys are below.

According to the Department for Education, 85 per cent of local pupils achieved a level four in reading and 83 per cent in maths — the national average is 87 per cent for reading and 84 per cent for maths.

Rochdale girls have fared better than boys in maths – 84 per cent of 11-year-old girls achieved level four or above, compared with 82 per cent for boys.

The difference was much greater for reading: 89 per cent of Rochdale girls achieved the required level compared with 81 per cent of their male classmates.

Level four is the standard pupils are expected to achieve by the end of key stage two, the time they leave primary school at 11.

Some children achieve level five, the expected standard at 14.