article_snippet.sent: new figures suggest Britain’s
article_snippet.sent: However, as a greater proportion of pupils is classified as excellent, it is harder for top universities such as Oxford and Cambridge to identify truly exceptional youngsters.
article_snippet.sent: And while British results appear to be improving for some pupils, Britain is slipping behind other nations when measured using international tests.
article_snippet.sent: Results published just over a year ago showed British teenagers dropped out of the top 20 rankings in maths, science and reading for the first time.
article_snippet.sent: Tests on more than half a million pupils worldwide found those in Vietnam, Shanghai and Poland had a much better command of core subjects.
article_snippet.sent: Children in the Chinese city of Shanghai were three years ahead of Children in the Chinese city of Shanghai British counterparts by 15.
article_snippet.sent: Overall, the UK came 26th out of 65 countries and economic regions in the report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
article_snippet.sent: A Conservative Party spokesman said: ‘Importantly, while overall results are up, the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and peers is closing.