Revealed: the secret school wars

Britain’s state school system is a national disgrace. Not because we don’t have excellent schools: we do. But only for those who can afford to move to the good catchment areas. The comprehensive system gives the best service to the rich, and the worst to the poor. It is a system which harbours bad teachers – only 18 have been struck off for incompetence in 40 years. Compare this to the USA where 252 bad teachers were sacked in one day last week. Our world-class private schools show that England can be a world leader in education. But we have one of the biggest gaps in the world between attainment in private and public sector. Our shamefully low rates of social mobility are driven by our failure to change an education system that doles out the worst service to the poor.

What should cause outrage – but, weirdly, doesn’t – is the way in which one can find a direct correlation between GCSE results and the deprivation of the neighbourhood.