ANY parent in Oxford whose child is of pre-school or primary age must be very worried that they are being drastically failed.

It is with no joy that we report today that Oxford’s results in Key Stage One — assessments of how seven-year-olds are doing in the cornerstones of their education — are the worst in the country, although we are not surprised. Two months ago, it emerged the 2009 GCSE results for the city were in the bottom five.

We reported earlier this year the worrying figures for the county as a whole but today we learn just how bad the city is.

It cannot be acceptable that roughly three in 10 children cannot write to the expected standard and one in four cannot read to the desired level.

Some will say you cannot base too much on these type of results and league tables.

But these subjects are laying the foundations — reading, writing and maths — for children to be able to understand and then learn as their education continues.

Once again, much like in September when we challenged the county council over Key Stage One and then GCSEs, Oxfordshire County Council is giving an inadequate response.

We asked to speak to Michael Waine, the man in charge, or another senior person so we could properly put the questions you want to know.

All they did was send out a statement which seems to claim Oxford’s teachers are the harshest markers in the country.

And when we asked a simple question: Are you failing our children? there was . . . a deafening silence.

We challenge the elusive Mr Waine: You must meet us and explain what this administration is going to do.

If he can’t, then maybe it’s time the Government stepped in.

Parents in Oxford deserve better than county council PR spin over this issue.