Letter: Let’s cut the negativity and celebrate our young people’s success
I would like to congratulate our A-level and GCSE students on their exceptional exam results.
Every year we are subjected to national headlines of alleged dumbing down and dropping standards when the results come out. This, frankly, is an insult to our young people who work very hard, to their families who support them through what is a stressful period and to our dedicated teachers and school staff.
Across Lambeth we have seen success. Dunraven’s Sixth Form Centre, for example, was opened in 2003 to address a lack of A-level places in the borough – this year 70% of its A level students received A-C grades.
Likewise, the percentage of Lambeth’s pupils obtaining 5 or more A* to C GCSE grades has soared from 62% last year to 71% this year – well above the national average. I am proud that La Retraite, in this constituency, achieved the highest 5+ A*-C grades with 93%.
None of this would have been possible without the extra sums the Labour government has put into our schools. In this constituency alone, a plethora of new school buildings has been built and there are 100 more secondary school teachers since 1997. It is essential this investment continues.
So, for once, lets cut the negativity and celebrate local pupils’ achievements. I will be shouting from the roof tops about it for weeks to come!
Chuka Umunna
Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Streatham
