GIRLS in Oxfordshire are continuing to outperform boys in the classroom, new figures have revealed.

A total of 6,345 11 yearolds across the county sat tests in English, writing, reading, maths and science this summer, with the results published by the Government today.

They showed that 81 per cent of pupils in the county reached the benchmark level four in English, with 79 per cent attaining the level in maths, and 88 per cent in science.

National figures show 80 per cent of pupils achieving the benchmark in English, 79 per cent in maths and 88 per cent in science.

Janet Tomlinson, Oxfordshire County Council’s director for children, young people and families, said a higher proportion of county pupils than the national average had reached the higher level five standard in all subjects.

She said: “We are encouraged by these results, which once again show attainment levels in Oxfordshire are in line with, or higher than, the national and regional averages.”

Key Stage 2 exams are completed by children finishing primary school and are used to assess their progress, to rank different schools, and to give secondary schools an indication of pupils’ ability for when they start in year seven. All children are expected to have reached level four by the time they leave primary school.

Last year, 73 per cent of pupils in Oxfordshire gained English and Maths at level four. That dropped to 72 per cent this year.

The national average also dropped one percentage point to 72 per cent.

In this year’s tests, more girls than boys made the grade in English and science, while a higher proportion of boys reached the desired level in maths.

Ms Tomlinson said: “Results for both boys and girls in Oxfordshire are improving gradually, although in common with the national picture, girls continue to perform slightly higher than boys.

“Boys’ achievement in English remains a particular focus in Oxfordshire schools, many of which have introduced a range of teaching approaches aimed at supporting boys’ learning in this area.”

Oxfordshire has been criticised for failing to perform as well as neighbouring counties. But while a higher proportion of pupils in Buckinghamshire achieved the desired levels – between three to five per cent higher at level four and seven to nine per cent more at level five – a lower percentage of pupils in both Slough and Milton Keynes achieved the target grades.

Ms Tomlinson said: “We believe a county such as Oxfordshire should be setting its sights yet higher, and we will continue both to support and challenge our schools to help them raise the bar in the coming years.”

The 2008 results for Key Stage Two and Three were released last August amid a storm of controversy as 200,000 papers were sent back for remarking.

The Key Stage Three tests, for 14 year olds, have subsequently been scrapped. Teachers’ unions are threatening to boycott next year’s Key Stage Two tests.