BASINGSTOKE schools have fared well in the latest SATs league tables – with just three failing to hit Government targets.

And figures released by the Department for Education show that 15 of the 22 primary schools in Basingstoke did better than the national averages. Schools are expected to ensure 60 per cent of pupils achieve Level 4 or higher in reading, writing and maths.

The key stage 2 Standard Assessment Tests (SATs) are taken by children at the end of Year 6 to measure their progress in these subjects between the ages of seven and 11.

Nationally, 75 per cent of all pupils achieved Level 4 or higher in reading, writing and maths.

Merton Junior School, in Popley, was at the bottom of the league table in Basingstoke, with just 38 per cent of pupils achieving Level 4 in reading, writing and maths, compared to 71 per cent last year.

Headteacher Helen Palmer said: “We were very disappointed with the 2013 writing SATs results. Immediate action was taken, and we expect the 2014 results to be back in line with national expectations.”

Park View Junior School, in South Ham, and South View Junior School, in South View, both fell just below the Government target, with 57 per cent and 58 per cent respectively. At South View, more disadvantaged children managed to obtain Level 4 than other pupils.

A total of 767 schools in England failed to hit the target, which is more than last year, when the targets were less demanding.

Four Lanes Community Junior School, which was recently graded as “inadequate” by Ofsted, came seventh in the league table charts for Basingstoke area schools.

Eighty-five per cent of pupils reached Level 4 in the three subject areas, which was higher than its figure last year of 73 per cent.

The best performing school in the borough was Oakridge Junior School, where 96 per cent of pupils achieved Level 4 in reading, writing and maths – a jump of 11 per cent from the figure in 2012.

A tougher measure was introduced this year, showing the percentage of children achieving a ‘good’ Level 4, where the test mark obtained is in the top two-thirds of the Level 4 mark. At Oakridge, 91 per cent of pupils achieved this.

At St Bede’s Catholic Primary School, in Popley, 100 per cent of pupils were given a Level 4 in maths, and at Great Binfields Primary School, 100 per cent achieved Level 4 in reading.

Across Hampshire, 78 per cent of children achieved the expected level in all three subjects, and a proportion of 22 per cent reached the higher standard of Level 5 in reading, writing and maths.

Councillor Peter Edgar, Hamp-shire’s executive member for education, said: “These results reflect the high standards and hard work of our children, teachers and local authority staff.

“These children have now started secondary school with the tools to be successful in this phase of their education.”