Research by the Institute of Directors (IoD) found that 71% of its members believe that the literacy of new recruits has declined, while 60% believe that numeracy skills have fallen.

More than half those surveyed (52%) say there has a drop in basic communication skills.

Miles Templeman, the IoD's director-general, commented: "Despite the impressive political energy and resources focused on education, our members believe the government has generally performed poorly in this critical area.  There is a substantial credibility gap between what official statistics show and what employers feel on the front line."

Jill Knight, the schools minister said: “We are tackling employers’ concerns head on with the biggest education reform for generations.”


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