We will not tolerate mediocrity, David Laws warns 'average' schools

David Laws: Warning over 'average' schools
10 April 2012
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Hundreds more schools with average academic results should be classed as "failing" under a standards revolution in England's education system, a leading Liberal Democrat urged today.

David Laws also argued that nine out of 10 pupils should be expected to get five good GCSEs rather than the current 53 per cent.

"We should no longer accept educational failure and mediocrity on an industrial scale," he told the Standard. "Half of pupils in London and across the country are still failing to get five decent GCSEs, including maths and English. This is frankly appalling."

The senior Lib-Dem, who is tipped for a return to Government after quitting the Cabinet over an expenses storm, believes tens of thousands of children are being let down by poor aspiration in schools including many in middle-class areas.

"Failure can no longer be defined merely as a school where discipline has broken down completely or where results are shockingly poor," he added. "If a school has 60 per cent of pupils reaching the GCSE standard when it should be 80 per cent, that is also a failure.

"We must not simply target schools in deprived areas. We need a system of assessment which holds to account failing schools in the leafier areas too, when 'average' results are just not good enough."

He wants two thirds of pupils to be getting five good GCSEs by the end of this Parliament and between 80 and 90 per cent by 2020.

He called for education watchdog Ofsted to "up the pressure" on the bottom 25 per cent of schools, not just the worst-performing five or 10 per cent, and proposed scrapping the "Satisfactory" grading for schools and instead have "Outstanding", "Good", "Improving", "Notice to Improve", or "Special Measures".

"The bottom two categories will need intensive intervention - and often new leadership," he added.

In comments which will chime with the views of many parents in the capital, he also highlighted particular problems in some boroughs: "In many parts of London there are still too few school places and it is tough to get into the best schools.

"Many London parents are angry that the system seems so unfair and so random."

His views are very much in line with the tough stance taken by Education Secretary Michael Gove on improving standards, including setting up more free schools and academies.

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