Since the Covid-19 pandemic, children’s reading, writing, and maths skills in Somerset remain below pre-pandemic levels, although there have been signs of gradual improvement. In the 2024/25 academic year, only 56% of 11-year-olds in the Somerset council area met the expected standards across all three Key Stage 2 subjects. This figure lags behind the national average of 62%, placing Somerset among 11 council areas in England with lower outcomes.
However, better results have been recorded in neighboring areas such as Bath and North East Somerset and North Somerset, where 62% of Year 6 pupils achieved the expected standards in reading, writing, and maths. Nevertheless, these figures are still down from the pre-pandemic levels recorded in 2018/19, which were 67% and 65% respectively.
Despite these dips, the latest results show progress compared to recent years, with 60% in Bath and North East Somerset and 59% in North Somerset reaching expected standards in 2022. Nationally, the proportion of 11-year-olds meeting Key Stage 2 standards has been improving post-pandemic, increasing from 59% in 2021/22 to 62% in 2024/25. Yet, it remains below the 65% achieved before schools closed in 2018/19.
Significant regional disparities persist across England. For example, only 50% of children in Central Bedfordshire met the expected standards, with similarly low results seen in the Isle of Wight (51%), Portsmouth (53%), Cumberland and Derby (54%), and several areas including Norfolk, Sefton, Liverpool, Manchester, Dorset, and Blackpool (all at 55%).
In contrast, London boroughs dominate the list of top performers. Hammersmith and Fulham and Hackney lead the country with 76% of pupils meeting the targets in reading, writing, and maths. Richmond upon Thames follows closely with 74%, while Waltham Forest, Redbridge, and Kensington and Chelsea each report 73%. Outside of London, Trafford boasts the highest success rate at 70%, highlighting stark differences even between neighboring regions such as Trafford and Manchester, the latter being among the lowest at 55%.
This data underscores the ongoing challenge of bridging the educational gap that emerged during the pandemic and highlights the need for targeted support to ensure all children can meet age-appropriate learning standards.