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| Schools failing to teach basics | Schools failing to teach basics |
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| Five hundred secondary schools in England did not meet the government's minimum target for GCSE attainment, the annual performance tables show. | Five hundred secondary schools in England did not meet the government's minimum target for GCSE attainment, the annual performance tables show. |
| Ministers unapologetically "raised the bar", saying the benchmark of five good grades must include English and maths. | Ministers unapologetically "raised the bar", saying the benchmark of five good grades must include English and maths. |
| They want a quarter of pupils in every school to manage this - but in almost a sixth of schools they did not. | They want a quarter of pupils in every school to manage this - but in almost a sixth of schools they did not. |
| Yet many do well on a new "value added" measure taking account of factors such as gender, ethnicity and deprivation. | Yet many do well on a new "value added" measure taking account of factors such as gender, ethnicity and deprivation. |
| The tables confirm that, across the country, 45.8% of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 of the national curriculum attained the equivalent of five GCSEs at grade C or above including English and maths. | The tables confirm that, across the country, 45.8% of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 of the national curriculum attained the equivalent of five GCSEs at grade C or above including English and maths. |
| The director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, David Frost, said this figure was "shocking". | The director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, David Frost, said this figure was "shocking". |
| 2006 SECONDARY TABLES New benchmark includes English and maths GCSEs43.8% of pupils in state schools attained itEvery pupil made the grade in 34 schools Less than half did so in 63% of schoolsLess than a quarter in almost one in six schoolsNew contextual value added progress measureNew A-level points system On the old measure, under which any five subjects counted, it was 59.2%. | 2006 SECONDARY TABLES New benchmark includes English and maths GCSEs43.8% of pupils in state schools attained itEvery pupil made the grade in 34 schools Less than half did so in 63% of schoolsLess than a quarter in almost one in six schoolsNew contextual value added progress measureNew A-level points system On the old measure, under which any five subjects counted, it was 59.2%. |
| The tables, compiled by the Department for Education and Skills, provide a school-by-school breakdown of those national averages. | The tables, compiled by the Department for Education and Skills, provide a school-by-school breakdown of those national averages. |
| In 114 schools every pupil achieved the new English and maths benchmark - 34 of them state schools, the rest in the independent sector. | In 114 schools every pupil achieved the new English and maths benchmark - 34 of them state schools, the rest in the independent sector. |
| The best, on the basis of the average points each pupil attained, was Chelmsford County High School for Girls in Essex. | The best, on the basis of the average points each pupil attained, was Chelmsford County High School for Girls in Essex. |
| The 119 pupils averaged 738 points in their exams - equivalent to more than 12 A* grades. | The 119 pupils averaged 738 points in their exams - equivalent to more than 12 A* grades. |
| The worst was Temple School near Rochester in Kent, where only 2% of the pupils managed five good grades including English and maths. | The worst was Temple School near Rochester in Kent, where only 2% of the pupils managed five good grades including English and maths. |
| Average points among the 125 pupils there were 235. | Average points among the 125 pupils there were 235. |
| We knew we had made a large improvement but we didn't really know we would be the most improved Head teacher Jo Mullis Making great strides But many well-known and high-performing independent schools such as Rugby, Harrow, Dulwich College and Uppingham also appear to do badly. | We knew we had made a large improvement but we didn't really know we would be the most improved Head teacher Jo Mullis Making great strides But many well-known and high-performing independent schools such as Rugby, Harrow, Dulwich College and Uppingham also appear to do badly. |
| Their pupils sit International GCSEs in English and maths, which they regard as more challenging - but which are not counted in the official tables, much to their annoyance. | Their pupils sit International GCSEs in English and maths, which they regard as more challenging - but which are not counted in the official tables, much to their annoyance. |
| There has been a "value added" progress measure for some years - comparing pupils' attainment with that of all other pupils with similar prior attainment. | There has been a "value added" progress measure for some years - comparing pupils' attainment with that of all other pupils with similar prior attainment. |
| There should be no hiding place for underperforming and coasting schools Schools Minister Jim Knight | There should be no hiding place for underperforming and coasting schools Schools Minister Jim Knight |
| That has now been "contextualised" to give a new CVA indicator, which factors in nine things reckoned to affect pupils' attainment, such as gender, special educational needs, ethnicity and local deprivation. | That has now been "contextualised" to give a new CVA indicator, which factors in nine things reckoned to affect pupils' attainment, such as gender, special educational needs, ethnicity and local deprivation. |
| A complex calculation generates a predicted outcome for each pupil, based on the results of all similar pupils. | A complex calculation generates a predicted outcome for each pupil, based on the results of all similar pupils. |
| If their actual results are higher than predicted, the government says the school has had a positive impact - if lower, it has failed to fulfil their potential. | If their actual results are higher than predicted, the government says the school has had a positive impact - if lower, it has failed to fulfil their potential. |
| The best school on that basis was the Academy of St Francis of Assisi in Liverpool - the country's first inter-faith academy focusing on the environment. | |
| 'Not enough' | 'Not enough' |
| Schools Minister Jim Knight said including English and maths in the "gold standard" reflected the importance the government placed on equipping youngsters with "the basics". | Schools Minister Jim Knight said including English and maths in the "gold standard" reflected the importance the government placed on equipping youngsters with "the basics". |
| He added: "There should be no hiding place for underperforming and coasting schools that fail to make a significant positive impact on their pupil's progress." | He added: "There should be no hiding place for underperforming and coasting schools that fail to make a significant positive impact on their pupil's progress." |
| Shadow education secretary David Willetts said the new benchmark did not go far enough: the basics should include the sciences, history and modern languages. | Shadow education secretary David Willetts said the new benchmark did not go far enough: the basics should include the sciences, history and modern languages. |
| "This is what every pupil is entitled to and deserves. Currently, too few pupils are being given this opportunity." | "This is what every pupil is entitled to and deserves. Currently, too few pupils are being given this opportunity." |
| Liberal Democrat education spokeswoman Sarah Teather said the new benchmark highlighted "the perverse incentives" created for schools by the league tables. | Liberal Democrat education spokeswoman Sarah Teather said the new benchmark highlighted "the perverse incentives" created for schools by the league tables. |
| "The answer to this problem is not to add more categories but to scrap them all together," she added. | "The answer to this problem is not to add more categories but to scrap them all together," she added. |
| The general secretary of the NASUWT teachers' union, Chris Keates, said the "unnecessary, divisive and demoralising annual ritual" of the tables encouraged competition between schools at a time when the government was promoting collaboration. | The general secretary of the NASUWT teachers' union, Chris Keates, said the "unnecessary, divisive and demoralising annual ritual" of the tables encouraged competition between schools at a time when the government was promoting collaboration. |
| The third major change this year is that A-level results now include many vocational qualifications, as was done with the GCSE-level results some years ago. | The third major change this year is that A-level results now include many vocational qualifications, as was done with the GCSE-level results some years ago. |
| This necessitated a new points score, devised by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. An A-level at grade A is worth 270 points. | This necessitated a new points score, devised by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. An A-level at grade A is worth 270 points. |
| The top school was Colchester Royal Grammar, whose students averaged 1,258 points each. | The top school was Colchester Royal Grammar, whose students averaged 1,258 points each. |