Shock of 2007

I could have fallen off my chair. Who’d have thought it? Apparently… prepare yourselves for this now… rumour has it that… are you sitting down?... it seems that this year the A-level results were the best they’ve ever been. EVER been!

OK, perhaps the magnitude of this news has been tempered by the fact that we hear this every year. Every year for twenty five years to be precise. I’d love to know what the class of ’81 did wrong that they didn’t beat the previous best. I’m thinking they spent too much time recording the top ten off the radio onto cassette for their walkmans (walkmen?)

Every year it is the same old story, and every year we hear the same arguments – the exams aren’t getting easier, just different – A-levels are more skills based than knowledge based – Standards of teaching and learning are improving year on year – blah blah blah blah blah.

It’s not that I disagree with any of the above statements. I just think that the inevitability of announcements of ‘the best ever results’ each year devalues the achievements of the pupils. I honestly believe we need to year or two where the results plateau for us to take them seriously again. Having said that I would feel terrible for whatever group of pupils it is who break the trend – they will be shunned by society no doubt.

Of more concern to me, however, is the fact that much of this year’s improvement was overwhelmingly down to private and selective schools. Now before proponents of private and selective education start rejoicing and dancing in the aisles I don’t think this is particularly good news (no, DPW, I still haven’t taken your arguments for private education on board.)

It appears to me that the achievements divide between the Private and Selective sector and the Comprehensives is growing ever more rapidly; apparently it is at its widest for more than a decade. Some commentators predict that this, already large chasm, will become an impassable canyon with the introduction of an A* grade in a few years. Despite this being wonderful news for the upper to mid middle classes living within spitting distance of a decent grammar school, it is terrible for rest of the country. This is one of the reasons I’m not a big fan of the A-level. One of many.

But this is not the time to be having a rant about the injustices of the education system. Now is the time to be congratulating those who did well in their exams this year and wishing them all the very best in whatever it is they do next.