Schools 'failing to stretch the brightest pupils' Sir Michael Wilshaw, the chief inspector, raised particular concerns over the "curse" of mixed-ability lessons. According to figures, around one-in-five pupils who gain top scores in English and maths exams sat at the age of 11 currently fail to go on to gain A* or A grades in GCSEs at the end of secondary education. Last month, Warwick University launched a new social networking and education website specifically designed for gifted pupils. IGGY - the International Gateway for Gifted Youth - will enable 13- to 18-year-olds to access stretching material in subjects such as maths, English, science and history and collaborate with peers across the world on educational projects. Mrs Walker, former head of education at Channel 4, said standards were variable across the education sector, but insisted the new service would "fill a gap" left by many secondaries. "Even if a school recognises it has gifted students... it is often quite hard for a teacher to fulfil those needs," she said. They don't necessarily have the time and resources to get additional materials for them. Teachers talk about there being a gap that they can't always fill because they don't have the time and they have so many other children in the classroom. IGGY - a paid-for service with free membership for poor pupils - currently has around 2,000 members in Britain and elsewhere in the world. It is hoped that numbers will double in a year. Speaking to the Telegraph after the launch, Mrs Walker said: "There is a danger that if you are gifted, and you don't have enough stimulating material available for you, then you can get bored and disaffected. "There are a number of IGGY students who say, "well I always finish the work that's been set and then I've got 20 minutes with nothing to do." So there is definitely an issue for these students who work too quickly. They aren't being stretched; they are curious and they want to find other students who are particularly interested. It was claimed that many bright children were also being held back by peer pressure, with some members of the network complaining that it was "not cool to be clever." "Students say that it is difficult in some schools to put your head about the parapet about being gifted," Mrs Walker said. "The relative anonymity of working with people online makes it easier than if you are being pointed out as someone who's clever or a "teachers" pet" at your own school."