Industry News
Schools minister "disappointed"
Posted on 15th August 2007
Schools minister Jim Knight has conceded he is "disappointed" about the one per cent fall in 14-year-olds achieving Level 5 in maths Key Stage 3.
However he re-iterated the exam results have shown a "steady improvement" and that the "overall trend" is good.
The minister made his comments on the BBC The World at One show on which he also admitted the exam results were far below the target of 85 per cent.
He said: "I don't apologise for the level of ambition and I think that has driven the continued improvement that we're making," adding the target for next year was currently being determined.
A shortage of maths specialists was causing problems, Mr Knight acknowledged, and was affecting the teaching quality of maths within secondary schools.
Jim Knight has been the MP for Dorset South since 2001.