State schools 'falling behind'
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Fresh evidence of the gap between state and independent schools will add fuel to the debate on class sizes and education standards.
Official figures published in a written parliamentary answer show average performance at GCSE has improved in private schools at nearly twice the rate for state schools. And for the bottom 15 per cent in state schools, average GCSE scores actually fell last year.
When this year's GCSE results are published in three weeks' time, attention will focus on the percentage of top-rate passes, at grades A to C. Some believe this yardstick, and publication of results in performance tables, encourages schools to "abandon" less bright children.
The figures, supplied in answer to a parliamentary question from Labour's education spokesman, David Blunkett, showed average GCSE scores in private schools went up between 1992 and 1994 by 4.6 points, compared with 2.5 points in state schools.
But, comparing the average performance of the bottom 15 per cent, their score went up last year by 1.6 points in private schools, but fell by 0.1 points in state schools.
Professor Michael Barber of Keele University, a leading expert on schools, pointed to the advantage for private schools in selecting pupils by ability, but he conceded that teaching methods and class sizes could also account for some of the difference in rates of improvement.
George Walden, page 13
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments