THOUSANDS of British primary school children struggling with literacy will receive one-to-one lessons to help them catch up, the Guardian has reported.

Official figures based on the British national curriculum tests showed last month that one in five 11-year-olds are failing to reach the standard expected of the age group in English and maths.

The British government has earmarked ￡169 million ($300 million) over the next three years for the English and maths programs. About 23,500 children would be covered by the programs this year. By 2011, 100,000 primary school children will benefit.

The Every Child A Writer program will be piloted in nine local authority areas — in 135 schools, reaching 2,500 children — and will be rolled out nationally by 2011 to cover 45,000 children in up to 9,000 schools and 150 local authorities. Teachers will focus on common problems children have with sentence structure, and on punctuation, spelling, understanding texts and creative writing.

The Every Child A Reader program is being expanded to more than 13,000 children this year. By 2010-2011 the numbers will grow to 30,000 children in 3,000 schools and 150 local authorities. Children will get one-to-one lessons for half an hour a day with specialist teachers, for between 12 and 20 weeks.

All pupils involved in the programs will be given personal plans with objectives that need to be achieved by the end of the year. They will be given intensive support that is tailored to their needs.

Christine Blower, the acting general secretary of the UK National Union of Teachers, said the schemes were welcome but must be the first not last step in individual teaching.