News Article: Star Maths Pupils in England Two Years Behind Asian Peers By Age 16
This is an unsurprising, though devastating, result.
Our “race to the middle” culture which has been brought about by the measure of success in secondary schools being a broad count of A* – C grades, has unfortunately encouraged teachers to ignore their brightest students, and focus instead on those on the D/C border.
Like a government that might target it’s policies at marginal constituencies, teachers have targeted the “marginal’ students at the detriment of those children who are sure-fire C’s, B’s or A’s, but who are not yet fulfilling their potential.
Now that attention is being drawn to this problem, let us hope that it will lead to a shift in government educational policy.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2013/feb/22/maths-pupils-england-behind-chinese