This week it was announced that Amanda Spielman, currently chair of exams regulator Ofqual, would take over the post of Ofsted Chief Inspector from Sir Michael Wilshaw at the end of the year. It was during this week that Sir Michael chose to highlight one of his most enduring personal missions of his tenure as Chief Inspector in his monthly commentary; the failure of England’s secondary schools to challenge and improve their most able pupils.

Secondary schools fail to stretch brightest pupils

It is with palpable regret that Sir Michael reports the evidence from numerous Ofsted inspection reports pointing to the fact that many schools still demonstrate an inability to stretch and improve their bright and able pupils despite a renewed focus on this area from Ofsted since he took the post in 2012.“It is dispiriting to learn that in spite of Ofsted’s sharpened focus in recent years, little progress seems to have been made since I first reported on this important issue,” says Sir Michael.“The most recent statistics paint a bleak picture of under-achievement and unfulfilled potential. Thousands of our most able secondary-age children are still not doing as well as they should in the non-selective state sector where the vast majority of them are educated.”According to Ofsted statistics, last year, 68 per cent of non-selective secondary school pupils who were ‘high achievers’ at the end of primary school failed to gain A* or A grades in Maths and English at GCSE. In fact, 27 per cent of these pupils failed to even achieve the minimum expected progress – a grade B in both these key subjects at GCSE.

Regional differences in educational attainment

“When it comes to the performance of the most able pupils, regional divisions are as stark as they are for the attainment of children more generally,” laments Sir Michael.According to Ofsted figures, pupils in the East Midlands and the north-west get the poorest deal.  Out of the ten worst performing local authority areas, measured by the proportion of most able pupils achieving a grade B or above in GCSE English and maths, all but one are in the north or the Midlands. “Most of the top performing local authorities are in London,” says Sir Michael.

Failing the next generation of business leaders

“Our nation’s economic prosperity depends on harnessing the talent of all our young people,” Sir Michel continues, “but especially those who have the potential to be the next generation of business leaders, wealth generators and job creators.”Sir Michael firmly believes that the testing of primary school pupils at key stage one and the introduction of ‘challenging’ national testing at the end of key stage 2 has resulted in a rise of expectations and improved performance across the nation’s primary schools. Likewise, the new GCSE grading structure and revised curriculum and examinations he believes will help to raise standards at the end of key stage 4. But it is in the first few years of secondary school in key stage 3, where pupils are not subjected to any official government testing, that Sir Michael believes is the root the problem.

Matching international competitors

“I urge the government to consider bringing back external national testing at key stage 3,” he concludes. “I firmly believe that it was a mistake to abolish these tests in the first place. If we are serious about helping all disadvantaged children, but especially the most able, to learn well and unlock their full potential, we need to know how they are doing at 14 as well as at 7, 11 and 16.”“Unless we get this right as a nation, we will not only continue to let down thousands of our most able pupils but also thwart any ambition to match the productivity levels of our international competitors.”Naturally, teaching Unions are equally outspoken on the issue. Malcolm Trobe, interim general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders ASCL, claims that, "subjecting children to even more testing and schools to even more sanctions is not a panacea to every challenge."

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