http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-14804484

Hardly surprising, really. Schools are no longer judged on providing a whole, rounded education and socialisation experience. It’s all about how well children do in maths and science, and the scores on the league tables. High scores are only given for academic achievement.

It’s also true that when a school is inspected, the quality of the children is not looked at. All children are assumed to be equal and capable of making the same levels of progress. Common sense tell us that this is a utopian ideal, and that despite the best efforts of the school, some children are going to slip behind - for many reasons, including just being (to use a pejorative term) thick.

Just under 50% by definition will be below average. My wife is expected to teach total [LIFTED] and to be polite educationally challenge pupils and some how get them an exam pass when sometimes writing their own name is beyond them!

The whole scoring scheme is aimed at academics, and not all kids are academic. They should be helped to get vocational skills and qualifications as an alternative.

I can't help thinking there's nothing wrong with leaving school at 14 to maybe get an apprenticeship as a hair dresser, brick layer, mechanic or whatever. My dad left at 14 and then worked every day of his life starting in the RAF as an armourer until he retired as a senior engineer. 7 more years of "education" would have done him about as much good career-wise as it did me.

Yes but it should not be a cop out. It is alternative education. What is the point of keeping kids in school till they are 18, when they will just become completely discouraged? If they are forced to do exams that they are struggling in, the schools will not let them do exams, because it brings their stats down, so they end up in school for another 5 years and leave with nothing. Why can't kids who are better with their hands do an engineering apprenticeship at 14. Then at least they will have something that motivates them and keeps them from getting into trouble. Not all kids fit the boxes for education and university if they did then we should all be forced to do it.