A class apart

Equally, there remain areas – such as Hull – where just over a third of 16-year-olds achieve the Government's minimum benchmark.

As a whole, it means Yorkshire's school-leavers, once again, have some

of the lowest levels of attainment in the country. It is a deeply disturbing trend, given the number of poor performing schools located here.

These results are also reflective – and symbolic – of this Government's record and education legacy. For this is the generation of pupils who have been taught, exclusively, under New Labour policies and record levels of investment.

And, while Ministers will point to the record pass-rate, Labour promised to raise standards across the board. However, these results again show the same areas prospering, such as York, North Yorkshire and the East Riding while the usual suspects – Hull, Bradford, Barnsley and Doncaster – continue to languish at the foot of these tables.

The consequence is a class divide that does little to help the Government's wider policy agenda in the inner cities where it wants to foster a culture of aspiration. Too many children are being denied the chance to succeed because the education system has, for whatever reason, failed them.

Tackling these inequalities has to be prioritised by the next government. But so, too, does the perception that exams have been dumbed down. And, rather than taking its lead from the "nanny state", it's surely time – given their concerns – that business leaders had a far greater say in running education policy and so ensuring youngsters have the necessary skills to prosper in a global economy.