There is discussion about how many English primary schools should be classified as failing this year. Should it be an increase of 1 percent, or 1 percentage point? This is the level of argument that we have descended to.
Whether it is 1 per cent or 1 percentage point, the system
is wrong. The figures are purely arbitrary. It means that the government has
decided that however good schools become, they plan to fail a particular
number. They can pick any number they wish, and this is what they are doing.
Imagine if we did the same with driving tests. You could be
a good driver but the authorities could decide that a set percentage always
have to fail. Why would you do that? Would the population feel that was
reasonable or fair?
To continue the analogy, the driving test could fail you if
you did not know what a crankshaft was, even though it had no bearing on your
ability to drive. Driving instructors would have to give lessons in crankshafts
and drivers would be more likely to pass the driving test if they knew about
crankshafts, than if they were good drivers.
Something is seriously wrong with this policy.
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