NEARLY one in three children in Oxford start secondary school without mastering basic reading, writing and arithmetic skills.

Figures released yesterday showed that while 75 per cent of 11-year-olds across the county achieved the benchmark Level 4 in Key Stage 2 tests, at city primaries less than 68 per cent of pupils made the grade.

The news comes as Oxfordshire County Council cabinet member for schools improvement Melinda Tilley, who branded the results “basically rubbish”, revealed six county schools are on the brink of either going into special measures or falling below Government floor standards.

That is in addition to 18 primaries which yesterday’s results show failed to meet Government targets of 60 per cent of pupils achieving Level 4 in English and maths. They could be transformed into sponsored academies.

Mrs Tilley said: “I am very disappointed with Oxford city’s results.

“I do not think there is an excuse possible.”

She added: “Our results are basically rubbish and we have got to do something about it.

“It’s no use us putting our heads in the sand.”

City primaries averaged 77 per cent at Level 4 in English, 74.4 per cent in maths and 81 per cent in reading.

That compares to 83 per cent, 81 per cent and 85 per cent across the county respectively. The national averages were one percentage point lower than Oxfordshire’s score.

Last year it was revealed Oxford’s seven-year-olds were the worst performing in the country for Key Stage 1, leading to the launch of an education strategy focusing this year on literacy.

There were 37 schools across the county where 100 per cent of pupils achieved Level 4 in reading, and 15 where all children reached Level 4 in all subjects.

But Mrs Tilley said: “If any child can’t read to the level necessary to get that mark, there’s a real problem.”

The city schools below the target were Bayard’s Hill in Barton, Church Cowley St James, Larkrise in East Oxford, John Henry Newman in Littlemore, Orchard Meadow in Blackbird Leys, St Nicholas in Marston and Windale in Blackbird Leys. Elsewhere Berinsfield, Chadlington, Lewknor, Marcham, Middle Barton, Orchard Fields in Banbury, St John the Evangelist in Carterton, St Nicholas in East Challow, Shrivenham, Southwold and Stonesfield failed to make the grade.

Mrs Tilley said: “There are about half a dozen schools where I wish I could step in now.

“These are schools which are above the floor targets and not in Ofsted categories but I fear they will go that way.”

Windale Primary saw a big rise in the proportion of children achieving Level 4 in both subjects, rising 15 percentage points since 2010, but just missing the target by two percentage points.

Headteacher Maureen Thompson said: “I am very pleased with a 15 per cent increase and we expect it to rise above that this year.

“It’s not an even playing field for us competing with schools in say North Oxford, but we do have to reach those targets and get the best for our children.”

The county was slightly behind similar counties, Oxfordshire’s ‘statistical neighbours’, where 76 per cent of children hit the target.

There are six primaries currently in special measures.