An entire generation of almost 4 million pupils has failed to gain their expected qualifications of five good GCSEs, including english and maths, according to a new report.

The Bow Group, the right wing think tank which develops policy and publishes research for the Conservative Party, has published a new report as part of its invisible nation series.

The report The failed generation: The real cost of education under labour highlights the total number of pupils who have taken their GCSEs under the current government.

It claims that almost 1 million pupils have not gained five GCSEs of any grade at all.

Despite an increase in education spending of 75%, over £70.5 billion has been spent on educating pupils who failed to gain the qualifications now expected in the modern day workplace, it said.

For more details of the report go to www.bowgroup.org.