land ' s ▁con str icted ▁and ▁un re formed ▁exam ▁system " ▁for ▁failing ▁to ▁encou rage ▁children ▁to ▁read . ▁G ove ▁also ▁bl amed ▁an ▁" anti - know ledge ▁culture " ▁for ▁reducing ▁achiev ement ▁and ▁said ▁children ▁benef ited ▁when ▁expect ations ▁were ▁set ▁higher . ▁In ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁his ▁" ign or ance ▁of ▁science " ▁was ▁critic ised ▁after ▁he ▁called ▁for ▁students ▁to ▁have ▁" a ▁root ing ▁in ▁the ▁basic ▁scientific ▁principles " ▁and ▁by ▁way ▁of ▁example ▁assigned ▁Lord ▁Kel vin ' s ▁laws ▁of ▁therm od ynam ics ▁to ▁Sir ▁Isaac ▁Newton . ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁the ▁Daily ▁Mail ▁published ▁le aked ▁plans ▁to ▁sc rap ▁GC SE ▁exam in ations , ▁return ▁to ▁O - level ▁ex ams ▁and ▁allow ▁less ▁academic ▁students ▁to ▁take ▁alternative ▁qual ifications . ▁The ▁Liberal ▁Democr ats ▁claimed ▁that ▁the ▁plans ▁had ▁not ▁been ▁discussed ▁with ▁the ▁Deput y ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁and ▁were ▁subsequently ▁heavily ▁critic ised ▁by ▁some ▁teachers , ▁trade ▁un ions ▁and ▁Labour ▁Party ▁MP s ; ▁they ▁had ▁been ▁discussed ▁with ▁the ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁at ▁Cab inet ▁level , ▁and ▁a ▁subsequent ▁You G ov / S und ay ▁Times ▁poll ▁suggested ▁that ▁the ▁public ▁supported ▁this ▁policy ▁by ▁a ▁margin ▁of ▁ 5 0 % ▁to ▁ 3 2 %. ▁They ▁received ▁pra ise ▁from ▁the ▁then - May or ▁of ▁London ▁Bor is ▁Johnson , ▁who ▁said ▁that