Kelly makes the grades

Ruth Kelly, the Education Secretary, vowed to boost the attainment of some of England's most deprived youngsters this week, saying it would improve progression from school to university. In a speech to the Institute for Public Policy Research on social mobility she said that in 2005 some 70 per cent of 19-year-olds had gained five good grades at GCSE.

She wants this to rise to 85 per cent by 2013.