Exams put pressure on

GCSE Results Show Standards Gap

The Chairman of the National Association of Head Teachers, David Hart, has told BBC News that he is concerned there is a growing polarisation between high achievers and the less able.

David Hart: "It's a tale of two classes."

"I'm very worried indeed that in the Government's efforts to try to raise standards - particularly amongst those who are more able and those of middle ability - we are being driven to neglect the interests of the least able. They are the underclass of the future, about which this government is very concerned."

The results are likely to continue the trend since GCSE's were introduced more than ten years ago. The improvement amongst the top grades has not been matched amongst the lower grades - there's a widening gap.

Headteachers' leaders say this will continue while the Government recognises only the top grades when judging a school's performance for league tables.

Government to tackle 'underclass of the future'

Michael Moore, a teacher with almost 30 years experience, told the BBC that the exams and courses are very different today - but they are just as difficult.

"Exams are not getting easier, they are equitable to what we had thirty years ago. What is happening is that we have better teaching, better resources and harder working pupils."

The Government is expected to pay tribute to pupils and teachers who have done well in their GCSE's while recognising that there is still a lot of work to do to tackle the unacceptably high numbers who leave school lacking the qualifications they need for the future.