Education bosses have been urged to revive plans for a major shake-up of schools by a leading academic.

Professor Kate Jacques, pro-vice chancellor of the University of
Bedfordshire, reckons it is time to revisit plans to abolish
Bedfordshire's middle schools.

She said: "Parents like middle schools. It means their children can be in a primary school environment for longer. And pupils like it because while they are at middle school the pressure isn't on.

"Upper schools focus on Key Stage 4 – and that means GCSE results. But with the three-tier system the schools do not have as long with the pupils to prepare them.

"Bedfordshire's upper schools work very hard to get their students ready.

"But Bedfordshire has been under-performing for GCSE results for years – that is not because of a problem with the schools but a
problem with the three-tier system."

Prof Jacques, who is based at the university's Bedford campus, is
herself a former teacher, and has long advocated abolishing Bedfordshire's three-tier school system.

Prof Jacques added: "Of course, good schools are about more than just exam results. But in this day and age that is what gets children into university, and it is what gets them into good jobs."