Articles like this are inflammatory and insufficiently reflective of the real issues faced by communities in society. They label and contribute to the self fulfilling prophecy that are some families lives. Why does the writer feel it appropriate to make comparisons that are so damming of those who already know that they live in areas of socio economic disadvantage. Surely we should be measuring the schools not just on academic achievements but on the value added factors that the schools contribute to the lives and communities that they work within. Education isn't solely about quantity of qualification but about quality of interactions and citizenship. For significant number of children and young people actually getting to school is an achievement. Many children lack the role models provided in the most affluent of our society, many of their parents may have had a negative experience of school themselves and they or they children may have been constantly berated for not achieving – a label that can be lived up to if there aren't achievable other aspirations. Why value and engage with a system that doesn't value you?
The writer should take the time to reflect as should many others including the media who constantly spit negatives and contribute magnificently to maintaining the 'Status Quo'. Please cease this unnecessary diatribe of words and jargonist politics, peoples lives are much more important than point scoring. Motivation comes from celebration, value and respect... so instead of stating how schools are perceived to be failing against one academic measure .... and places little merit on those children who may not achieve 5 good GCSE's but may well achieve 4, 3, 2, 1 or other equally valid certificates. Lets celebrate schools extended services achievements, with their often limited resources and abounding goodwill, because that's what fuels aspiration! .. and if every child really matters then lets look at the difference that more appropriate staffing and resources, praise, recognition, reward, and respect can contribute within the schools in our financially less rich communities. They deserve far better for coping and achieving in an area that most of society wouldn't want to live or work.