When the Literacy Hour was launched in 1998, David Blunkett made a much-publicised promise to resign in 2002 unless at least 80% of 11-year olds met the expected standard on the 11+ English SATs (National Curriculum Tests). At that time, the ‘pass’ rate was 65%, which seemed a considerable improvement on the 1995 pass rate of 48%, but which was still shockingly low. By 2000, the pass rate was up to 75%, and it appeared that Blunkett would be home and dry.