Gordon has criticised the Government in the Commons for their shambolic preparation for and grading of the key stage 2 SATs exams, which has let down hundreds of children and their schools across Blackpool.



National results have left only 53 per cent of 11-year-olds passing in reading, writing and maths - prompting concerns from teachers and educationalists that the tests were too tough.

Speaking in the chamber as one of Labour’s education team in a debate called by Labour to challenge the Government’s mishandling of this year’s tests, he spoke about the “huge sense of frustration” felt by teachers and parents in Blackpool.

Gordon said: “Those who took this year’s SATs have been badly let down by the Government. The years between 9 and 11 are almost as crucial for young people as their first years in secondary school. Yet here we have the Government producing results suggesting nearly half of them are not ready for that.”

He added: “By rushing ahead without properly involving professionals or parents, the Government failed to spot fundamental flaws in their design.

“Schools across have been unable to structure their exam preparation properly because of the continuous chopping and changing from the Government in assessment, sometimes every other day local heads say. 94% of primary schools across Lancashire get good grading from Ofsted yet as a consequence of this fiasco, secondary schools will not regard these tests as useful and leave students feeling deflated and parents pressured.”

Because Ministers had been obsessed with their attempts to force all schools into academies, Gordon said they had “took their eye of the ball” when it came to the tens of thousands of children who had taken this year’s key stage 2 SATs. “Children have been let down because of the Government’s incompetence,” he said.