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Ruth Kelly, the Education Secretary, vowed to boost the attainment of some of England's most deprived youngsters this week, saying it would improve progression from school to university. In a speech to the Institute for Public Policy Research on social mobility she said that in 2005 some 70 per cent of 19-year-olds had gained five good grades at GCSE.

She wants this to rise to 85 per cent by 2013.