It was fairly obvious within a couple of years of the introduction of Labour's initiatives that they weren't making very much difference but, as usual, nobody bothers to consult with the classroom practitioners. It is far more likely that there is little change, as this report quotes, than there has been a 'miraculous' improvement since Government tests said so. If ever there was proof that this Government has dumbed down and exaggerates every tiny statistic that it can lay its disingenuous, grubby hands on, this is it. The waste in Education is enormous and everybody bar those who teach, is an 'expert'. Education is in a mess and needs direction, control and a totally new broom to clear out the dross who are by and large paid, ( large salaries), to turn up, state the obvious and nod. When you look at the amount of money that was spent on all of this, every child in the country could have been afforded one to one. It proves that Education, Education, Education was a con, con, con.

judy, Liverpool, england

There is my question.
We never had so many researchers, papers published and money spent for education.
However, England is known to encounter the most problem in Education in Europe.
Could that mean that the wrong approach has been adopted?
Oh wait. Can we say that. They are the expert, aren't they?
So good that even the journalist can see mice running at 72 km per hour (other article of this website).
I am not even English and I am still seeing error in comments such as the use of it's instead of its. Do you believe this is normal?

aurelien, Middlesbrough,

Can someone tell me what was so terribly wrong with reading standards in the 50's?
I was educated in the 40's & 50's and I cannot recollect anyone in any of my classes incapable of reading and writing during that period.
And guess what, we could all count without a calculator or PC.

Tomas, Alicante, Spain

Another wonderful initiative on testing by this control freak administration. Needless to say it has been an enormous waste of money. Our money. That Lord Adonis should have the nerve to ignore and deride this report is just another example of the crass behaviour of ministers. When will they realise that this sort of behaviour does not fool anyone and is another example of what is wrong with Labour. If they told me it was raining out side I would have to go and take a look.

Diddly Do, Liverpool,

Another body-blow in weeek of governement failings.
A crass waste of taxpayers money. Politician after politician trucked out to say "we've increased funding". Yet in so many areas, the taxpayer doesn't reap any benefit from the extra money thrown at problems. But "increased funding" looks good in the media.
Hopefully, the elctorate will eventually start to ask the question - but are we getting value for money?
I'm afraid the answer across the board will be no.
The Labour government is prepared to drive more people into poverty to fund it's failing initiatives.
Step down Mr Brown, call a general election.

W Smith, Oldham,

No surprise. It's 10 years since the finest system of mathematical education up to GCSE level I have ever experienced was cast aside in favour one based on rote learning for examinations, with little need for understanding. The result is a a disillusioned generation with little inclination for using their minds in a mathematical way. Many have a 'C' at GCSE, of course, which looks good - but it can be obtained by demonstrating that you have not understood two-thirds of what you have studied. Yours in exasperation.

Gordon Cardew, NORWICH, UK

Ministers refuse to accept the findings of every report that's published. Ministers are right, the reports are wrong. The government is expert at wasting our taxes-we are being bled white and nowt to show for it. The unelected Adonis will never see the error of his ways, but then, what else should we expect from a bunch of criminal incompetents.

ben, kettering,

Education!
Edukation!
Eddukasun!

Sparks, uk,

Time to don my I Told You So sweatshirt, I think.

None of this news comes as a surprise to most of our primary teachers, to many parents, or even to our school caretaker;
a man short on educational philosophies, but long on common sense . If WE could all see the writing on the wall growing larger year by year, why did the Government, with its educational gurus, et al., need to wait for a Primary Review to decode it for them? That's a rhetorical question; I know the answer.

The real tragedy - and for some that is the right word - is not the wilfully enormous amount of money that has been wasted. It is that the relentless, politial, misguided initiatives have irrevocably demoralised and soured so many Heads and teachers and, more importantly, the young children in our care. The satisfaction of knowing one was right all along disappears in the anger of the realisation of that. The great fear of course, is that there is no assurance they will know any better this time

HPK, Thatcham, UK