Low Performing Schools Warned To Improve

Secondary schools in England with poor performance rates are being warned to improve or face closure.

The Secretary of State For Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, is leading a government initiative to increase performance in 638 schools which have a fewer than 30% pass rate of getting at least two GCSE's including English and Maths.

The 2008 Budget provides new funding to bring forward by a year to 2011 the government's ambition for no school to have less than 30% of its pupils achieving 5 A* - C at GCSE.

The 'National Challenge' launched in March, is a national strategy for all schools to learn from each other and so to help all pupils progress to the best of their abilities.

In 1997, 1,610 schools had lower than 30% of students gaining five GCSEs including English and Maths.

Any schools which have not reached the threshold of 30% by 2011 will be subject to formal closure.

Mr Balls said: "The results of investment, reform and the hard work of teachers are clear to see. Since 1997, the number of schools with under 25 per cent of pupils gaining five good GCSEs has dropped from 616 to 17: a 36-fold reduction. And standards are also rising in higher-attaining schools: the number of secondary schools where 70 per cent or more pupils gain five good GCSEs has risen eleven-fold to 891, up from 83 in 1997.

"National Challenge will build on an approach which is proven to work, with carefully targeted support for teaching and learning, and high performing schools helping those which work in more challenging circumstances.

"No school should accept low attainment as the status quo and we will give teachers the tools and support to make long lasting change. National Challenge is just one part of our drive to transform secondary education for the long term by helping schools learn from each other."

Former Chief Inspector of Schools, Mike Tomlinson, will chair the panel of National Challenge expert advisers.

It is also expected that there will be up to 70 National Challenge Trusts.

Three trusts will oversee the shutting down of a failing school and a reopening of a new school with up to £750,000 funding.

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) has rejected the government's proposals and has said that the schools under scrutiny are "performing well in the toughest areas".

Christine Blower, Acting General Secretary for the NUT said: "While at long last the government appears to have recognised that it is better to provide support and resources to schools in the toughest areas, I cannot understand the logic of saying that 29% of pupils with 5 GCSE A-C represents failure and 31% signifies success. I urge him to drop the phrase 'poorest performing schools'. It is unfair and inaccurate. Very many have good inspection reports.

"If Ed Balls is to provide meaningful support to the 638 secondary schools he has identified he has to lift the threat of school closure for failing to meet arbitrary targets."

"No head teacher or teacher mindful of their career will join a National Challenge school if they think it will be closed and turned into an Academy in the following year."

Under the new plans there will also be an expansion of the academies programme, with up to 313 of privately-sponsored schools set to be open by 2010.

(DS/KMcA)