GCSE results fail the test

The Government faces more bad news over education standards this week as GCSE results and primary school exams are expected to show schools missing key Government targets.

GCSE results, due out on Thursday, are expected to show a rise in the pass rate at top A* to C grades of less than one per cent.

This misses the target set by the Treasury of a two percentage point increase each year in return for extra funding for schools.

The Government is also braced for bad news over primary school test results, due out tomorrow.

They are expected to show only a small increase in the proportion of 11-year-olds reaching the level expected in English.