On the day when approximately 650,000 15- and 16-year-olds in England received their GCSE results, Sir Nick Gibb, a former schools minister, publicly criticised the current Education Secretary Lucy Powell’s approach to secondary education, warning that it risks undermining academic rigour.

GCSE results serve as both a critical milestone for students progressing to further education or apprenticeships and an indicator of disparities in school performance across the country. Nationally, 22 percent of GCSE grades were awarded at levels 7 to 9, equivalent to an A or A* under the previous grading system.

Highlighting exceptional performances at several “free schools” — publicly funded but independently run institutions — Gibb cited Ark Soane Academy in West London, where over half the students qualify for free school meals, yet 54 percent of grades achieved were in the top range. Similarly, Mercia School in Sheffield and West London Free School reported 55 percent and 57 percent of their grades at levels 7-9, respectively. Michaela Community School in Brent recorded even higher success, with 82 percent of its GCSE grades reaching those top scores despite a large proportion of disadvantaged pupils.

Gibb advocated for maintaining a knowledge-rich academic curriculum underpinning these results, contrasting it with what he described as a growing trend toward broader intellectual skills such as problem-solving and critical thinking. Drawing on cognitive science, he asserted that such skills depend fundamentally on a deep foundation of knowledge rather than being an alternative to it.

The former minister also criticised recent policy shifts under Lucy Powell, particularly her proposal to discontinue mandatory retakes of GCSE English and maths for 17- and 18-year-old students pursuing technical qualifications who fail to achieve a standard pass (grade 4) during secondary school. Gibb called this practice, introduced by himself and former Education Secretary Michael Gove, “life changing,” noting that it has benefited 35,000 students annually by improving their qualifications and future earning potential.

Gibb attributed the success of top-performing free schools partly to their autonomy from local government control, which allows them to implement strict behavioural policies and teach a curriculum focused on explicit knowledge delivery rather than progressive methods like inquiry learning. He argued that these schools exemplify best practices and have played a significant role in England’s improved position on international education league tables.

Despite their achievements, Gibb lamented that the current government has halted the expansion of free schools and is reducing their freedoms. He urged the Education Secretary to encourage underperforming schools to adopt the free school model while granting successful schools greater autonomy, cautioning against lowering expectations.

Powell’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.