Too many 11-year-olds are failing to reach the expected standards in reading and writing, ministers have been warned.

A fifth of children are not achieving the level expected at that age, said the Commons education select committee.

The MPs said the numbers failing to meet national standards was "unacceptably high" and called for an urgent review of the national literacy strategy.

Research should be undertaken into different teaching methods, the committee said.

"Even if government figures are taken at face value, at age 11 around 20 per cent of children still do not achieve the success in reading (and writing) expected of their age," said the report.

"This figure is unacceptably high. Furthermore, there is a wide variation in the results achieved by schools with apparently similar intakes.

"This differential achievement suggests that problems do exist, either in the implementation of the government's strategies or inherently in the methodology it promotes."

Committee chairman Barry Sheerman accepted that the acquisition of reading skills is "an extremely complex subject".

"However, we do consider that teaching methods also have a significant impact on a child's chances of becoming a fluent reader," he added.

A Labour spokesman said standards had "increased significantly" since the national literacy strategy was introduced.

"Our national strategy has a balanced approach to teaching reading," he said.

"Synthetic phonics is already at the heart of literacy teaching but our view is that that should be complemented by teaching an understanding of grammar and context.

"Children should not only be able to read, but understand what it is they are reading."

He added: "There is more to do, but no one should lose sight of the significant progress that has been made."

Liberal Democrat spokesman Phil Willis said he rejected the idea that "there is a one size fits all solution to reading".

"In addition to phonics as the basis of reading programmes we need to free teachers from the tyranny of testing and targets and allow them to practise the methods that are best for their pupils," he said.

"What teachers are crying out for are smaller class sizes so that they are able to spend more one-to-one time with each child."