A debate has opened up in Wales about pupil performance compared with England, after figures revealed that the attainment gap in English and maths among 14-year-olds is at its biggest since devolution. Last year, 69 per cent of Welsh pupils were at the expected level for key stage 3 in English, compared with 77 per cent in England. In 2000, the difference was just 1 per cent. As in Scotland, performance is better in Welsh primaries and then dips when pupils move to secondary.
