Segregation push from race relations head

Black boys should be taught separately from their white classmates in a bid to improve their performance at school, believes the head of Britain's race relations watchdog.

Trevor Phillips, chair of the Commission for Racial Equality, said it might be necessary to examine the option of segregation due to the discrepancy between the academic achievements of black and white teenagers.

While he acknowledged that some might see his conclusions as "unpalatable", Phillips, who is black, insisted that such steps were essential to protect future generations of black youths.

Last month figures showed only 35.7 per cent of black Caribbean pupils in England scored at least five C-grades at GCSE level last year. The national average was 51.9 per cent.