Morgan: Tories “enabling” state and private school attainment gap to grow

Labour’s Stephen Morgan has accused the Conservatives of “enabling” the gap in grades between state and private school students to grow after GSCE results data revealed a greater increase in top grades at private schools.

Labour noted that 53% of grades given to independent school pupils this year were at grade 7 or above, up from 47% in 2019. The figure for secondary comprehensive schools in 2022 was 23.3%, up from 18.5% – meaning private schools have seen a 25% greater increase in the proportion of grades awarded at the top levels.

The Shadow Schools Minister said: “Students receiving their results today have worked incredibly hard through unprecedented disruption. Yet the Conservatives are holding back our kids, enabling the gap in grades between state and private schools and across different parts of the country to grow.”

“The Conservatives’ recovery advisor resigned in despair, warning the government risked failing hundreds of thousands of children. Worryingly, his warnings are coming true,” Morgan added.

The opposition highlighted that the number of grades awarded at grade 7 or above in London had risen approximately 50% faster than in Yorkshire or the North West. 32.6% of grades awarded in London were at grade 7 or above in 2022, up from 25.7% in 2019.

In Yorkshire, the percentage of grades given at grade 7 or above rose from 17.8% in 2019 to 22.4% in 2022, while in the North West the proportion of grades at the top levels increased from 18.6% to 23.1% in the same period.

Labour noted that the regional attainment gap at GCSE “echoes the inequalities” seen in A-Level grades last week. The party’s analysis of the results revealed that the proportion of students receiving A or A* grades had fallen a third quicker in the North East of England than the South East.

The percentage of A-Level students achieving A or A* grades in the North East stood at 39.2% in 2021. The region saw the largest fall in 2022, with 30.8% receiving A or A* grades this year – a drop of 8.4 percentage points or 21.4%.

In the South East of England, the proportion of students receiving A or A* grade decreased from 47.1% to 39.5% – a fall of 7.6 percentage points or 16.1%.

Labour highlighted the continuing disruption faced by BTec students. Exam board Pearson has apologised after around 5,700 students awaiting BTec level 2 results were deemed ineligible to be awarded grades today.

The exam board was also forced to apologise last Thursday after BTec level 3 students did not receive their grades on the same day A-level results were released. Labour has demanded an investigation into what it described as a “debacle”.

Labour analysis of past GCSE results – published before today’s results were released – revealed similar disparities in outcomes between different areas of the country.

Almost 60% of students in England achieved a pass in English and Maths in 2021. But in Knowsley, the figure was less than 38%. In Blackpool, 43% of pupils passed both subjects, while 45% of students in Sandwell achieved the same feat.

Of the seven local authorities that saw less than 50% of their GSCE students pass both English and Maths, three were located in the North West (Knowsley, Blackpool and Salford) and four were found in the Midlands (Sandwell, Nottingham, Stoke-on-Trent and Leicester).

By contrast, 77% of pupils in Trafford and almost 75% of students in Sutton passed both subjects. Eight local authorities saw more than 70% of pupils achieve this feat – three of which were in London (Barnet, Kingston-upon-Thames and Sutton) and three in the South East (Buckinghamshire, Slough and Wokingham).