On Jun 5, 10:09*am, wrote:
least for the top 50% academically) has been a success. Given that all
measures (including international skills comparisons, not just
qualifications) show the median adult is indeed more skilled than 25
years ago, that's a strong sign that the answer to both questions is
yes.

If thats the case then they're not learning these skills at school because
when contemporary kids have been given old O or A level papers in a couple
of TV shows they flunk badly. And if a modern paper seems easier when put
side by side with an old one then it probably is.

Except that getting on for all kids take GCSEs, whereas only (POOMA,
but magnitude-right) 40% of kids took O-levels and 30% took A-levels.
And the syllabus has changed; sadly we don't have a time machine to
carry out the reverse experiment...

--
John Band
john at johnband dot org
www.johnband.org