Class divide! GCSE results joy shows wealth gap in schools
SCHOOL pupils are celebrating record GCSE results after exams were scrapped for the second year and judged by teachers instead – but the grades have laid bare a widening gap between state and independent school pupils.
Despite Covid school closures, 30 per cent of entries overall gained one of the top three grades – seven, eight or nine, equivalent to an old A or A* – up from 27.5 per cent last year and 22 per cent in 2019.
But among private school pupils the proportion of entries handed the top marks was 61.2 per cent, compared to 23.3 per cent in state schools. The rate fell to 14 per cent for those on free school meals.
Schools minister Nick Gibbs admitted: ‘I agree, it’s not acceptable. The pandemic exacerbated, amplified inequality. That’s why we were so determined to get young people back into schools.’
Later he insisted: ‘We are seeing young people right across the board achieving those top grades regardless of the type of school they went to.’ But campaigners blamed a wealth gap made worse by Covid.
Association of School and College leaders general secretary Geoff Barton said: ‘Pupils at independent schools have in general been less affected by the pandemic than those at state schools. They’re more likely to come from wealthy homes where digital technology readily available and they are generally taught in smaller groups because independent schools are much better funded.’ Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said inequality was ‘baked in’ to the system and called for education secretary Gavin Williamson to quit.
‘When inequality goes up in education it’s astonishing the education secretary is still in post,’ he said. ‘If he won’t resign, the prime minister should get rid of him.’ But Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said: ‘In the private sector there were Zoom lessons throughout the day. There’s no reason why it couldn’t have been the same in state schools. Once again children – often in the poorest areas – lost out.’
The 2.7 per cent rise in top GCSE grades followed a record 6.3 per cent rise in top A-level results revealed on Tuesday.