Minister backs bid to improve school
Jul 10 2008 by Paul Loraine, The Journal
SCHOOLS Minister Jim Knight yesterday backed a North East school to meet a Government challenge to improve GCSE marks and ward off the threat of closure.
Mr Knight was speaking at Benfield Specialist Sports College in Wallsend, North Tyneside, where he was outlining the opportunities presented by the 2012 Olympics to pupils and staff.
Having toured the school, he said he was confident Benfield would achieve the target of 30% A*-C grades, including maths and English, set out in the National Challenge to secondary schools
With a current pass rate of 26%, it is one of 20 schools in the region currently below the target figure and part of a national list of 638 in line for Government support.
Ministers have warned that schools which do not achieve the 30% target by 2011 could be closed, merged with top-performing schools or replaced with privately-backed academies.
Speaking after touring the school, Mr Knight said: “I think we have already seen with the excellent improvement in GCSE results over the last few years that the focus on sport, on excellence, determination and working together informs behaviour and creates the right environment for learning.
“I’m confident that if Benfield doesn’t reach the target this year then it will next year. The National Challenge offers schools like Benfield the opportunity to get help through funding. We have chatted about it today and, not unreasonably, there are concerns. A school like this that has made such good progress, in some people’s eyes has been labelled a failing school. That is absolutely not what we’re saying.
“There are some excellent schools like Benfield that will get there with little support and some schools which will need more support.”
Mr Knight was joined by paralympic swimmer Chris Holmes and international volleyball player Denise Austin, both of whom spoke to youngsters about their experiences in sport.
The group answered questions about the Olympics before touring Benfield’s sporting facilities and the some of the newly-refurbished classrooms.
The City of Newcastle Gymnastics Academy at Benfield School is one of a number of North sports venues earmarked as potential training camps for teams taking part on the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.
Mr Knight said: “The idea is to talk to young people about the values of the Olympics and Paralympics and the opportunity they give us to think about courage, determination, equality, inspiration.”
Dave Johnson, director of sport at Benfield, added: “At Benfield we recognise the importance of sport to every child’s personal development.
“We recognise how important the hosting of the Olympic Games is to young people all over the country, from elite performers to those whose viewing of the games will inspire them to dip their toe into the sporting arena.”
