ATL

Schools 'putting league tables before students'

01 September 2010

Many schools put league tables before their students, it has been claimed.

Nick Seaton, Chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, suggested that some pupils are encouraged to study so-called soft subjects in order to boost their school's league table placing.

He noted that an increasing number of students are opting to take subjects that will provide them with better grades than options such as French, German and maths.

"I'm sure most employers would rather see a certificate with a harder traditional subject and certainly these 'soft subjects' aren't going to help youngsters who apply to university. It's for the benefit of the schools rather than the pupils themselves," he commented.

GCSE results rose for the 23rd consecutive time this year, with 69.1 per cent of students achieving five or more A* to C grades.

Although these youngsters deserve praise, questions need to be asked about how the GCSE system is working, Mr Seaton commented