An "open and vigorous" public meeting will examine primary pupils' performance across the district.

A "half-term" report on the private company which runs Bradford's schools has revealed serious concerns, with pupil attainment falling for the third year in a row.

Now parents, teachers and governors will get the chance to have their say on what is going wrong at a public debate in the new year.

John Gaskin, managing director of Education Bradford, which runs the district's schools, said he and his staff would do what needs to be done after primary pupils' achievements dipped again at Foundation and Key Stage One levels.

At the Young People and Education Improvement Committee, at City Hall last night, Mr Gaskin said: "We are grasping the nettle and facing up to the truth. We have done and will continue to do what needs to be done to support our children."

Asked about a public debate on provision, Mr Gaskin said: "We would welcome that and would like to play a full role in that process."

Heather Rushton, Education Bradford's director for school improvement, outlined a series of measures to be implemented. These include: l ensuring schools have identified and provided for lower attaining pupils l providing targeted support for 53 primaries regarded as having "multiple issues"

l establishing an assessment team and developing effective assessment procedures l ensuring schools have systems and structure to monitor quality of provision l improving support given to governing bodies to address weak leadership l implementation of a rigorous leadership capacity audit for school's failing to improve.

Mrs Rushton said: "We have improved the quality of provision for children throughout the district and have also improved the quality and cohesion of our services. But there is still a long way to go.

"Our standards of attainment could have significantly improved on the national gap and it is that we have missed out on this year."

Committee chairman Councillor Phillip Thornton (Lab, Windhill and Wrose) welcomed Mr Gaskin's honesty but said: "It might have been preferable to have been open and honest a couple of years ago if things were as bad as this.

"There is a tremendous amount of hard work going in in all primary schools with the picture improving in some areas but we need it to be much quicker."

As previously reported, there are 17 primary schools causing concern.

Three of them - Atlas in Manningham; St Oswald's in Great Horton and Ryecroft in Holme Wood - continue to get additional funding from the School Improvement Partnership Board.

Usher Primary has also been in Ofsted's special measures category longer than any school in the country.

Coun Dale Smith (Cons, Wharfedale) executive member for children's services, said: "I would welcome an open and vigorous debate from which we would learn lots and understand much more about the problems facing primary schools."

Coun David Ward (Lib Dem, Idle and Thackley) said it was time to look at whether education in Bradford should be brought back "in-house".

He said: "It's maybe time to look at it and assess whether what we have now is the best way of going about things."

A provisional date for the meeting is expected to be announced at next month's committee meeting.

e-mail: dan.webber@bradford.newsquest.co.uk