However ,as is always the case with stats you can get away with metaphorical murder.

In the same sort of way that politicians refuse to believe opinion polls when they don’t like them, education experts/teachers always claim IQ scores mean nothing or everything. Verbal reasoning tests are very good predictors for GCSE/A Level results –whether people like it or not. They can certainly be used to indicate potential.

The last twenty years have seen an obsession with the notion that children can make continuous progress and there has been precious little distinction between attainment and ability. The driving test view of schooling has prevailed. i.e.put a child in front of a ’good’ teacher and all can ‘pass’ has taken hold. (The concept of pass/fail was abolished at O Level about 1974…not that anybody would know it>)

Once the percentage getting five Cs zoomed from about 20% to about 50% (following arrival of GCSEs) the notion took hold that grades could go on improving. Absurd!

Johnson –cleverly- as ever tries to get bright/able/well-off people to identify with him .As most people have no idea what their VR score is they will all want to think they in the top 2%.

All socialists are above average-by definition!!! David