Struggling schools told to improve or be closed

Jun 9 2008 by Paul Loraine, The Journal

STRUGGLING North East schools will this week be handed a government ultimatum – improve within three years or face closure.

Education authorities in the region will be told they must draw up action plans for the worst performing schools inside 50 days to help them achieve the government’s minimum GCSE target. Currently, more than 20 schools in the region have less than 30% of students gaining five A* – C grades, including maths and English, and they could face closure if standards do not improve.

After the plans have been submitted, the schools will have less than three years to raise standards sufficiently.

If they fail to do so they face being turned into privately-run academies or may be shut down completely.

North East teachers reacted angrily to the move last night.

John Hall, Newcastle secretary of the teaching union NASUWT, said: “We have always claimed there’s enough accountability regarding schools anyway.

“This smacks to me of the government playing big brother and bullying local authorities.

“If the minister can point out that these schools are doing nothing to improve, I would be very surprised. “I don’t know of any schools that don’t work to get better all the time.

“They keep changing the goalposts of what a successful school is and I’m sure that if they stayed still, enough schools could get there through self evaluation.”

Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, wants to see detailed plans from 134 local authorities at the end of the summer term.

He is also urging governors at low-performing schools to hold meetings to discuss how best to meet the required standard. Each school will receive funding and an ‘expert individual adviser’ to encourage its progress while a team of ‘superheads’ with experience of transforming under-performing schools will be created.

Steve Gater, headteacher of Walker Technology College, in Newcastle, said he was confident they would hit the 30% target but argued that the Government’s demands were unfair.

“Every school and every governing body are aware of the challenges facing them,” he said.

“The 30% is an arbitrary figure and they are not looking at the value each school adds to its students.

“It’s like asking a Championship side to become a Premiership side in three years, or else.

“The question is: why is the figure 30% for all schools, irrespective of the challenge they face?” Since Labour came to power in 1997, almost 60% of pupils have left school without gaining five C grades at GCSE, including in English and maths.

But Ed Balls said he expected all schools to be on or above the 30% mark by 2011.

Northumberland County Council said they were confident that after this year’s exam results they would have no schools on the list of strugglers.

Meanwhile, Newcastle City Council, Durham County Council and Sunderland City Council were unavailable for comment.

Ed Balls said yesterday: “I don’t have a secret hit-list to close dozens of schools. But I do expect local authorities to be more targeted, focused and systematic in how they break cycles of unacceptable results. There are now more options on the table.”

Those at risk

STATE schools where less than 30% of pupils got five or more A*-C GCSEs which included maths and English last year:

COUNTY DURHAM:

Durham Gilesgate Sports College

and Sixth Form Centre

Moorside Community Technology College

Sunnydale Community College for Maths and Computing

Wellfield Community School, a Specialist Maths and Computing College

GATESHEAD:

Hookergate School

Kingsmeadow Community

Comprehensive School

NEWCASTLE:

All Saints College

Benfield School

Walbottle Campus Technology College

Walker Technology College

West Gate Community College

NORTH TYNESIDE:

Churchill Community College

Norham Community Technology College

NORTHUMBERLAND:

Blyth Community College

Hirst High School

SOUTH TYNESIDE:

Jarrow School

SUNDERLAND:

Castle View School

Farringdon Community Sports College

Hylton Red House School

Pennywell School

Sandhill View School

Thornhill School