Industry News

Record GCSEs 'but education gap remains'

Posted on 24th August 2007

Schools Minister Jim Knight has congratulated students and teachers on recent GCSE results, which saw a greater than ever proportion achieving A* to C grades.

He said the government's "clear ambition" was to ensure every child reaches its potential, claiming more challenging work would be offered to brighter pupils and more support to those who struggled.

Chairman of the Sutton Trust Peter Lampl, however, recently claimed the gap between independent and state school performance is the highest in the Western world.

He made his comments in the Independent and claimed the difference is partly due to private schools attracting the best teachers.

He quoted figures from the Higher Education Funding Council England showing 3,000 students a year gain high enough grades but simply do not apply to the country's top 12 universities.

"The cycle of disadvantage is self-perpetuating and as a result the country is losing out on talent," he said and called for independent and grammar schools to be opened up to underprivileged children.

The Sutton Trust gives grants to projects which give educational opportunities to underprivileged children. It seeks to "raise the aspirations of the academically able".