Only one in six makes grade in key GCSEs

The true scale of educational failure under Labour was laid bare for the first time as figures showed almost 550,000 pupils left school last summer without good grades in key academic subjects.

Michael Gove, Education Secretary, said new data would ?shine a light? on standardsPhoto: ALAMY

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By Graeme Paton, Education Editor11:17PM GMT 12 Jan 2011

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Statistics revealed fewer than one in six pupils gained decent passes in core GCSEs seen as vital to further study and employment.

Pupils are expected to score A* to C grades in English, mathematics, science, languages and humanities to achieve the Governments E! nglish B accalaureate award.

It is intended to reverse more than a decade of downgrading of traditional subjects in favour of easier alternatives such as media studies. But data showed just 15.6 per cent of pupils in English schools hit the new standard.

Numbers fell to 13.6 per cent among those in state comprehensives but more than two-thirds of those in grammar schools passed the threshold.

Michael Gove, Education Secretary, said new data would shine a light on standards. No one is served by keeping secret information about what is going on in our schools, he said.