MANY teachers fear that coursework favours middle class children and is vulnerable to Internet-aided cheating, a survey has showed.

Well-motivated girls with supportive parents were most likely to benefit from coursework, while working class boys got the fewest advantages, the poll indicated.

While most teachers believed that pupils should do extended projects as part of their GCSEs, AS and A-Levels, the National Union of Teachers survey showed they thought coursework was too time-consuming for pupils and staff.

More than six out of 10 of the 1,707 NUT members who took part in the survey said coursework should contribute towards final grades in all three qualifications.

There was least support for coursework at AS-Level, with just 61 per cent of teachers in favour. Many felt there was not enough room in the one-year course.

Support rose to 64 per cent in the case of A-Levels, while 73 per cent of NUT members supported coursework being part of GCSEs.

It was felt to be most appropriate for practical subjects, such as design and technology, and least helpful in the case of maths and foreign languages.