Multi-academy trusts are performing worse than the national average across the board at the end of key stage 2, new data shows.

Statistics published today by the Department for Education show 64 per cent of pupils in multi-academy trusts reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2019 - compared with 66 per cent of pupils across all state-funded mainstream schools.

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According to the data, the proportion of MATs with progress scores above or well above the national average was 20 per cent for reading, 31 per cent for writing, and 24 per cent for maths.

Meanwhile, the proportion of MATs with progress scores below or well below the national average was 29 per cent for reading, 20 per cent for writing, and 28 per cent for maths.

The number of MATs included in the KS2 measures has increased from 240 in 2018 to 297 in 2019 - representing an increase of 380 schools and 17,670 pupils.

The document warns that MAT performance data “should not be used to infer performance of the MAT system as a whole”.