EDUCATION chiefs in York deny there is a "reading crisis" among children in the city.

Their comments follow reports in national newspapers about statistics showing that one in five children leaving primary school "struggle to read".

But Jenny Vickers, assistant director of education standards and quality at City of York Council, said the figures did not mean pupils could not read - rather that they did not achieve level four reading, the highest standard expected of them.

She said 81 per cent of York children now achieved level four -- well above the national average of one in five.

National newspaper reports yesterday said the Education Select Committee of MPs had claimed the Government underestimated the number of 11-year-olds failing to reach the required reading standards.

The committee said the number of youngsters not reaching level four was "unacceptably high", amounting to about 120,000 pupils a year across England and Wales.

In their final year at primary school, pupils have to sit tests in literacy - including reading, comprehension and spelling - as well as maths and science.

Ministers have always cited primary schools as the shining example of their success in improving education standards in maths and English, since 1997.

But the committee called for a review of the Government's national literacy strategy, credited for bringing about the success.

Mrs Vickers said: "Level four is a very high standard for 11-year-olds to attain. We are talking about children being secure in their reading and being able to access the Key Stage 3 curriculum when they go to secondary school.

"It's about being able to read with understanding across a range of subject areas and also read for enjoyment.

"Obviously we are committed to making further improvements. We want readers who are confident and enjoy reading and who become lifelong readers."

David Thewlis, head teacher at St Lawrence's Primary School, is on a task force of 15 heads from across York called the primary strategy group. Its remit encompasses literacy.

He said: "The central focus of primary schools is literacy and a crucial part of that is reading.

"We are striving to see improvements, and one of the key things is working with parents, because all the evidence shows that where schools and parents work together there is the most progress.

"Standards in York are on the rise and should continue to rise."

Huntington School head teacher Chris Bridge said: "I think, from a secondary school point of view, literacy here has been very successful.

"More pupils are now able to talk about language and we think in fact literacy levels have risen.

"There is obviously always room for improvement, but here in York we think standards are rising," said Mr Bridge.

What do shoppers in York think about education?

Blane Hawkins, 49, from Acomb, York.

"I'm co-ordinator of English at a primary school which is oversubscribed at the moment. I haven't seen any real dip in standards."

Rupert Lavers, 36, from Lawrence Street, York.

"I'm not particularly worried about these statistics, but there does need to be improvement in education generally."

Ashley Appleyard, 32, from Hull Road, York.

"The stats don't surprise me - but it does make you wonder what they're teaching kids these days."

Ivy Eden, 65, from Heslington, York.

"I think primary education is a lot better now than it was when I went to school."

Updated: 09:57 Friday, April 08, 2005