[Maribellin]

I think it's perhaps a little simpler than that; socio-economic conditions do not factor in so heavily in this particular case. Essentially - as you alluded to in your last paragraph - the poorer-performing schools will use such 'measures' to boost their grades. What really irks me is that it's done at the expense of the harder working children - I mean, surely the government/awarding bodies are aware of what's going on?