There is a clear and positive relationship between the amount spent on books and schools' Key Stage 2 success

Roger Watson Researcher

Investment by schools in information technology has risen following the government's promise that every child will have access to computers and the internet at school.

But the amount spent on books has fallen by 12% per pupil each year.

On average, primary schools now spend £30 per pupil on computers each year, £19 per pupil on books.

The study found there was a positive link between good information technology and national test results, of 0.07 under the Spearman Rank Correlation statistical measurement system.

But Statistics for Education found a positive correlation of 0.12 between books and good results.

Chief researcher on the study Roger Watson said: "Good IT resources may help to raise standards but it looks as though traditional school books help even more.

"I have also tested the statistical validity of our findings and the result is highly significant.

"There is a clear and positive relationship between the amount spent on books and schools' Key Stage 2 success - the probability of it being due to chance is very small indeed."