The education gap between children from England’s richest and poorest areas is widening, say the Conservatives. Figures obtained by the party indicate the proportion of children getting five A*-C GCSEs including English and maths fell from 14 to 13 per cent between 2006 and 2007 at schools where more than half of pupils were eligible for free school meals. At schools where fewer than one in 10 pupils were eligible, the proportion rose from 57 to 58 per cent.