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Government "painting wrong picture" of independent schools

Posted on 19th January 2009

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The government is 'painting a wrong picture' of independent schools by failing to include International GCSE (IGCSE) results in the league tables, it has been suggested.

Speaking to thisisgloucestershire.co.uk, headteacher of St Edward's School in Cheltenham Andrew Nash called on Labour to change the current procedure.

"The league tables are besmirching the good reputation of our school and that of many others by not including IGCSEs or the results of those who take exams earlier," he told the news source.

Although 98.8 per cent of students at St Edward's achieved five or more GCSEs including English and maths, the league table indicated that this figure lay at just 41 per cent, noted Mr Nash.

He added that the option of taking an IGCSE in maths is offered to pupils because it stretches the brightest pupils.

Last week high master of St Paul's boys' school Dr Martin Stephen labelled the government's decision not to recognise IGCSEs as a "farce".