Opposition politicians, businesses and parents all seized on the figures showing a significant decline in the proportion of the most able children from P4 and P7 to S2, the three age groups monitored.
More than 90 per cent of pupils at all the stages were working within or above the expected level for reading and writing, according to the sample survey, which will look at literacy and numeracy in alternate years.
However, the number performing very well at reading in S2 dropped to 45 per cent from 60 per cent in P7, while those performing below the expected level rose to 15 per cent from 10 per cent.
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