PRESS RELEASES

Thursday, 20th October 2005

Tables Hide Key Subject Decline

The GCSE-level results achieved by England's teenagers have shown their biggest improvement for more than a decade, the government says. However, one in six of the English secondary schools that improved their GCSE-level results since 2001 did worse in the core subjects of English and Maths.


Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Tooting, Stephanie Dearden said:-

Ministers should not be crowing about GCSE figures given today's revelations. The improvements Labour have been claiming for years have been brought into question. The emphasis on targets and league tables has backfired and exposed Labour's education policy for the failure it is. Ministers do no favours to the teachers and pupils who are working so hard when they manipulate key statistics. There's a real worry now in schools across the country that the target culture and inaccurate league tables are undermining teaching and education.
 

ENDS 

  Stephanie Dearden

Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Tooting

Notes to editors

1. More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/4358208.stm
2. If you would like to arrange an interview with Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Tooting Stephanie Dearden then please call 020-7771-2551 or 07985-649807 or 07754 583090
3. Official photographs here http://www.stephaniedearden.org/smd_mugs/index.htm