In his recent speech to a conference at the think-tank Reform, schools minister Nick Gibb was upbeat about the impact of his government’s reforms during the last five years, speaking of a “new vibrancy and excitement in the English education system”.
Certainly, if you look at Ofsted statistics or the chief inspector’s annual reports there is much to celebrate. School leaders and their staff have shown enormous commitment and resilience during an incredibly turbulent period. We are seeing the highest standards of skill and professionalism in our classrooms and much innovative practice – all causes for celebration.
But the $10,000 question is this: Have standards risen? During our autumn programme of meetings and conferences with our members all around the country, GCSE results have been at the top of their concerns. The widely publicised volatility in this year’s results has made it impossible to make year-on-year comparisons.
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