Gove condemns "shocking" decline in English Literature GCSE

Michael Gove has highlighted “shocking” new figures that show that one in four sixteen-year olds are not sitting the GCSE English Literature exam.

186,000 pupils left school last year without taking any exam demonstrating proper knowledge of great works of literature – an increase of 20% in just five years.

Michael, the Shadow Children’s Secretary, slammed Gordon Brown for talking about promoting Britishness to our children while “the reality of what’s happening under Labour is very different”:

“An understanding and knowledge of English Literature is something we would all consider an essential part of education to GCSE level for all pupils. It is therefore shocking that the subject is in decline to the extent that more than one in four pupils does not even sit it at GCSE.”

The decline in the English Literature GCSE is sharpest amongst deprived pupils with almost two in five missing out, adding to the widening gap between the poorest children and the rest.

Michael stressed, “It is particularly concerning that it is the poorest students who are suffering most from this decline in English Literature. It is further proof that raising stands in our schools will have the greatest benefit for the most disadvantaged.”

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Laws: Balls must not gain power over exam reading lists

The Secretary of State for Schools, Ed Balls, is seeking new legal powers to dictate the basic content of every exam in England, including which books children study at GCSE or A-level, research by the Liberal Democrats has uncovered.

A clause in the Education Bill would undermine the independence of the exams watchdog OFQUAL and could allow ministers to interfere with the exams system for political gain.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Schools Secretary, David Laws said:

"It is unbelievable that Ed Balls wants to give himself the power to dictate the detailed contents of the curriculum - including precisely which books should be taught at GCSE and A-level.

"What is taught in schools should not be dependent on the whim of some here today gone tomorrow politician. The idea of Ed Balls or Gordon Brown determining which parts of history children are taught or which books and poems they should read is a rather frightening one.

"This revelation shows that the Government's pretence of creating a more independent system of qualifications, curriculum development and oversight is a sham. What is actually happening is that ministers are retaining huge powers to meddle in both what is taught and how standards are measured."