BLAENAU Gwent Council is launching a series of "urgent" reviews over concerns that education standards are falling.

A new report says children are starting school with lower abilities than previously.

It also says the gap between the local and national average of SAT exam results for 14-year-olds is "wide and worsening", from eight percent to 13 percent over the last six years.

While GCSE results have significantly improved over time, the percentage of pupils achieving five A*-C GCSE grades (or vocational equivalent) dropped this year by five percent to 43.6 percent.

There is also a huge discrepancy between schools, with the percentage of pupils achieving those grades ranging from 62 per cent at one school, to just 30.4 per cent in another.

It also raises concerns that the amount of vocational education on offer at schools is "very low."

The report, which was discussed by the council's education and leisure scrutiny committee yesterday, calls for an urgent investigation into the reasons for this drop in standards.

The report, by Jayne Davies, chief school improvement officer, admits the figures "paint a picture of low attainment", and recommends a renewed school improvement strategy and also a need to review the early years strategy.

It says anecdotal evidence shows that "children enter school with a lower level of skills than in previous years...schools have to perform even better to maintain standards."

It says there is an "urgent" need to improve further.

'Parents should not be alarmed by the report' Education chief The council's interim chief education officer, Hugh Knight, said aspects of education need to be improved, but parents should not be alarmed by the report.

He said: "There is not an emergency here, but...we would like to do better.

"The authority is not worried...nearly all the schools are getting good inspections and they wouldn?'t be getting these reports if they weren't doing a good job."

Mr Knight called the drop in the year nine average "very disappointing" and said there is a need to introduce more vocational subjects.

He admitted it "wasn't a good year" for GCSE results, but said the overall trend is upwards.

But he noted the report's positive points, including improvements to SAT results for 11-year-olds, and Assembly praise for the progress primary school children make.

"I see it as a balanced report that is recognising the good work our schools are doing, but not hiding away from the issues either."

He said a number of schemes are in place to address issues, and new initiatives will be introduced.

Councillor Gill Clark, executive member for education added: "I think it would be more worrying if we weren't addressing these issues.

"Our schools are doing a great job and steady progress is being made."