Dropping The Aitch

‘AS with the ever-widening poverty gap, there is evidence of increased daylight between the brightest and the densest school pupils.

‘I don’t know what you’ve got to laugh about, ginger’

While the Telegraph brings news that GCSE pass rates have risen again, with passes in A to C grades rising for the 15th time since the introduction of the simple exam 16 years ago, the Independent leads with another version.

“GCSE pass rate lowest for a decade,” says the paper on the morn when around 600,000 youngsters will receive their results in the post.

The paper agrees that the A to C boffins have done better than ever, but the overall pass rate of A to G fell to an appallingly low 97.6 %, down from 97.9%.

To the casual observer this might still seem a remarkably high success rate, given that failure is the only alternative to achieving a pass in exam speak.

But there are degrees of failure and the Indy estimates that this year 60,000 pupils will leave school with no qualifications.

They will have nothing to show for the years spent sat in a classroom, other than a love-bite and the ancient text book they failed to hand in when school was finally out.

But they must not be disheartened. If they do well on Pop Idol, Big Brother or any other reality TV show, they can still earn money and achieve fame.

Failing that they can always take A-levels and go to university…’

Posted: 21st, August 2003 | In: Broadsheets Comment | TrackBack | Permalink