STOURBRIDGE MP Margot James is demanding better standards in secondary schools to tackle an obsession with league tables.
Ms James used a debate on education at Westminster Hall to raise her concerns about falling numbers of students opting for academic subjects while pupils are being encouraged to take vocational BTEC courses to boost pass rates.
She highlighted startling statistics from Stourbridge which show just 25 per cent of students take GCSE history, less than 20 per cent opt for geography and the study of foreign language GCSEs has fallen to below 50 per cent.
Ms James said: “Of course there is nothing wrong with studying vocational courses, but too many young people are being encouraged down this path for the wrong reasons.
“We are not being honest with them about the implications of the choices they make at 14-years-old.
“Students who do have the potential to go to a top university and improve their life chances significantly are being sold short.”
She added concentrating on league tables often results in an emphasis on borderline C/D grade pupils to maximise C grades, while more gifted pupils are overlooked.
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