Headteachers backing a controversial education shake-up say middle schools are failing to capitalise on the good start children get earlier in their education.

A group of first school headteachers in Northumberland, who are part of the Go2 campaign, say national assessment tests show that most middle schools in the county do not do as well as first schools.

In an open letter published yesterday, seven first school heads say the Performance and Assessment (Panda) scores for schools in the county show problems with Northumberland's three-tier structure.

Panda scores rate schools against others with similar intake of pupils, and show most first schools in Northumberland in the top rating, but many middle schools in lower brackets. The difference in ratings is one of 10 reasons given by the first school heads for backing a move to two-tier education that would see first schools becoming primaries, high schools expanded into secondaries and middle schools abolished.

The heads say a two-tier system would also fit in better with the National Curriculum and that standards would improve if children did not have to twice move schools in the middle of a Key Stage.

Jill Dove, headteacher at Burnside First School in Cramlington, said: "Panda grades for all the schools in the county demonstrate the success of first schools and the very good start given to the county's children.

"Unfortunately that success in not consolidated and middle school grades show poor value added.

"Even if we only take account of the free school meals measure, the middle school results on the whole, look poor by comparison.

"Some middle schools are able to demonstrate good value added and good progress but they are in the minority."

The open letter from the Go2 campaign is signed by Mrs Dove and fellow heads Peter Ayres, from Wooler First; Michael Bell, from Morpeth Road First; Charles Ellis, at Croftway; Julie Bowman, from Malvins Close; Kevin Vardy, at Ellington and Dianne Greenwood, from Abbeyfields First.

Mrs Dove said their criticism of middle schools was no reflection on their teachers, but a sign that the current system was not working.

She added that schools would have to close because of falling population in Northumberland and some areas would lose their first schools unless the county council's re-organisation was approved.

Middle school headteachers have accepted that first schools tend to do better in Panda assessments, but said the two scores are not comparable because they are based on very different tests.

Fred Forster, head at Meadowdale Middle in Bedlington, said: "The statistics might be right, but I would sound a cautionary note about comparing Key Stage One and Key Stage Two test results.

"The tests in first schools are done in a much more comfortable and relaxed environment and measure different things. In middle schools, it's a much harder exam. These figures don't reflect the true picture of what middle schools do."

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