51�Թ�

He points out that current Year 9 and 10 students missed the start of Key Stage Two in primary school and were affected by the closure of Sure Start centres.

It said it wanted to "build on and deepen existing collaborations" to help pupils achieve at least the minimum expected Key Stage 2 standards by the age of 11.

In Essex in 2024, 21% of Send pupils achieved expected standards in reading, writing and maths at Key Stage 2.

"Northern Ireland is currently without any measures of how our system is performing in both these areas at primary school and Key Stage 3."

Of the children in Key Stage 1, 95% reached national standards on phonics in their latest stats, well above the national average and up from 61% before the pandemic.