Poor primary school boys are struggling to keep up with their richer classmates in the basic subjects, official figures show.
Just over half of 11-year-old boys (52.6 per cent) from the poorest homes reached Level 4 – the standard expected of the age group - in English and maths this year.
In comparison, nearly three quarters of boys (74.7 per cent) from wealthier backgrounds reached this target - an attainment gap of 22.1 percentage points.
Schools Minister Nick Gibb said the figures were “unacceptable” and the poorest boys are being “let down” by the education system.
In total, almost 16,000 boys who are eligible for free school meals – a measure of poverty – did not meet the standard required.
The statistics, published by the Department for Education, show that poor white boys are the furthest behind, with just 50.1 per cent reaching Level 4 in both subjects.
Some 56.4 per cent of poor black boys reached the same standard, along with 57.6 per cent of poor boys from mixed backgrounds, 62.9 of poor Asian boys and 66.1 per cent of poor Chinese boys. Overall, the figures show that 55.8 per cent of poor boys and girls reached Level 4 in English and maths, compared to 77.1 per cent of their richer peers – a gap of 21.3 percentage points.
Mr Gibb said: “These figures reveal that our education system is letting down half of all 10 and 11 year old boys who qualify for free school meals.
“It is not acceptable that at the end of primary school these children are still not reaching the standard in English and maths they need to flourish at secondary school.
“After seven years of primary school children need to be fluent in these basic skills which is why the government is putting such an emphasis on improving pupils’ reading ability in the first years of primary school, with a focus on phonics.
“It is also why we are giving such a priority to raising standards of behaviour in schools and supporting teachers and head teachers in their effort to instil a zero-tolerance approach to poor behaviour and low-level disruption in class.”
In total this year, 73.5 per cent of all pupils reached Level 4 in their English and maths national curriculum, or Sats, tests.