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We're making progress and will do better
Ed Balls, Children's Secretary15 Jan 2009
Some people believe that state schools in London are under-performing. But as the official results published today confirm, schools in London are doing better than ever before.
Where once our capital's secondary schools lagged behind the rest of the country, they've now shot ahead. London schools have improved faster than the national average with schools in inner London seeing the biggest leap in results.
London can boast eight of the top 10 local council areas across England with the largest improvements over the last decade - including in the critical subjects of English and maths.
And while the historic link between poverty and educational attainment remains, we're starting to break it.
Schools with more children from deprived backgrounds have seen bigger rises in results than the rest over the past decade. And the poorest kids have made more progress than those from better off families. The gap's still too wide, but it's narrowing.
None of this has happened by chance. Extra investment has gone into London schools and there has been radical reform to drive up standards.
There are now over 40 new Academies in London and more on the way, most of them replacing previously under-performing schools.
Our London Challenge initiative - which we're now copying across the country - has helped to drastically reduce the number of schools where less than 30 per cent of pupils get at least five GCSEs at A*-C grades, including English and maths, from more than half of all schools to 67 last year and just 40 today.
But that's 40 schools too many. While we should always celebrate success and improvement - as this newspaper does with its own London schools awards - it's also right to be impatient for even more progress.
I want a good local school for all parents in every area of London and across the country. That's why every school must be above our new target over the next two years - and there must be no excuses. That is our National Challenge.
I know my Tory shadow Michael Gove disagrees, but I make no apologies for saying that government should intervene to drive progress, including radical change and new school leadership where necessary.
It's worked in London, but there's further to go - not just to persuade the sceptics that schools in London really are being transformed, but to make sure every young person gets a fair chance to fulfil their potential.
Click here for London GCSE and A-level league tables
