Over a million children taught in failing schools

The National Audit Office has concluded that around one million children are being taught in poorly performing schools.

The public spending watchdog said in a report that 23 per cent of secondary schools and at least four per cent of primaries in England are "poorly performing".

That is despite ministers spending £840m improving struggling schools last year and £160m replacing failing comprehensives with city academies.

However the NAO also said that the number of failing schools halved between 1998 and 2005, and the number of low-achieving secondaries had fallen by 75 per cent.

Of particular concern to the NAO in improving the remainder was the shortage of headteachers.

Stakeholder Response: ATL

 

 

Commenting on the report on failing schools, Dr Mary Bousted, General Secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), said: "The National Audit Office have lumped together a wide range of schools in very differing situations to produce these headlines. 

 

"The statistics should not be allowed to undermine the hard work and commitment shown by teachers who turn up every day to face the challenges some schools present.

 

"For schools facing the most difficult circumstances there are no simple “quick fixes” and fast turnarounds, as the report itself points out, and there is nothing in the recent White Paper which would suggest the government has enough workable ideas to produce further improvements where they are needed."

 

Stakeholder Response: PAT  

PAT general secretary Philip Parkin said: "Whilst the report from the NAO is a cause of some concern, we should be celebrating the positive aspects of it and not focusing on just the negative aspects.

 

"A reduction in the number of failing schools of 50 per cent and a reduction by 75 per cent of low-achieving secondary schools is some achievement.

 

"School staffs should be complimented for their efforts in effecting this improvement.

 

"Strong and effective leadership, from head teachers and senior managers, is the key to school improvement.

 

"There must be considerable concern about the dearth of candidates for headship posts. There are plenty of well-trained, high-quality, dedicated teachers in our schools who are capable of giving the standard of leadership required to take schools out of failure.

 

"The government must ask itself why the job of head teacher is increasingly unpopular and why teachers do not aspire to that role.

 

"Some fundamental questions about workload and support mechanisms must be asked and answered if schools are to get the leadership that is required."

 

Stakeholder Response: NASUWT

 

 

NASUWT reacted angrily to the presentation of today’s National Audit Office Report.

 

The report said that only 15 per cent of the 242 schools put into special measures recover after two years. The report also classified 1,557 schools as 'poorly performing'.

 

Chris Keates, general secretary of NASUWT, said: "There are major flaws in this report.

 

"In particular, the definition of failure and the constant focus of reports such as this on the tiny minority which have difficulties rather than the majority which succeed.

 

"This report shows that 85 per cent have met the government’s targets and they are to be congratulated.

 

"This report also fails to acknowledge that if a school fails it is the fault of the system, not the schools.

 

"No school fails overnight.

 

"No school deliberately sets out to fail its pupils.

 

"The reasons for decline are highly complex and often outside the school’s control.

 

"The real focus should be on questioning why action is not taken at local level by those with responsibilities for standards to intervene before schools reach this position.

 

"The opportunity presented by the White Paper must be grasped to ensure that the new role for local authorities incorporates clear criteria for identifying schools where problems are developing and appropriate supportive early intervention strategies." 

 

Stakeholder Response: ALG

 

 

 

Cllr Louisa Woodley, chair of the Association of London Government’s Children, Young People and Families Steering Group, said: "Over the past three years London has outpaced other parts of the country in boosting GCSE results and the number of students securing five or more A*-C level passes.

 

"We have also seen similar progress at the important Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 levels, where again London pupils have shown a higher rate of improvement than other parts of the country.

 

"The improvements have been notable. For instance in the  five inner London boroughs of Hackney, Haringey, Islington, Lambeth and Southwark - more than 40 per cent of pupils now achieve five of more good GCSE passes, compared with just 30 per cent in 1997.

 

"We have halved the number of teacher vacancies since 1997 and extra 5,900 teachers and 20,100 support and ancillary staff have been recruited to London schools," said Cllr Woodley.

 

"London councils oversee the education of more than a million children and young people.

 

"There are 1,836 primary schools, 406 secondary schools and 149 special schools in the capital but, as Ofsted itself has acknowledged, London now boasts some of the very best schools in the country.

 

"Of course there is always much more that can to be done to improve standards but we have already secured some notable successes and we should be proud of all the hard work and achievements of our teachers and pupils."

 

Stakeholder Response: IOD 

 

 

Commenting on the National Audit Office report Richard Wilson, head of business policy at the Institute of Directors, said: "This report will make worrying reading for parents, pupils, employers and the government.

"Too many schools are in difficulties despite almost eight years of well-intentioned government measures.

"The implications for adult skills are obvious.

"The future Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (with which the government plans to replace Ofsted, the Adult Learning Inspectorate, the  Commission for Social Care Inspection and other organisations concerned with child protection) should help to improve the quality of education in schools by disseminating best practice and advice, in addition to carrying out thorough inspections of schools.

"Ensuring that all schools have good permanent head teachers should also be a priority."

Stakeholder Response: ASCL

The Association of School and College Leaders (formerly Secondary Heads Association) has backed the figures released stating that one in three headship posts have to be re advertised.

 

Dr John Dunford, general secretary of ASCL said: "This report backs up what we are hearing from school leaders.

 

"Secondary schools are finding it increasingly hard to recruit heads.

 

"The average length of service of heads appears to be falling and the number of retirements in the next five years will be at a record level.”

 

"The recruitment of secondary heads is moving from a worrying situation to a crisis.

 

"With 36 per cent of secondary headships having to be re-advertised, it is now at a level that can no longer be tolerated."

 

"The review of school leadership recommended by the STRB, and agreed by the government, will be critical in identifying what needs to be done to reverse the trend.

 

"If the demand for school leaders is to be met, levels of pay must reflect the weight of the job and the increased accountability."

 

Stakeholder Response: GTC

 

 

Responding the National Audit Office on improving poorly performing schools in England, Carol Adams, chief executive of the General Teaching Council for England (GTC), says: "Outstanding head teachers and teachers are the key to transforming poorly performing schools.

 

"To attract and keep the best teachers in challenging schools, we need sustained investment in pupils and a package of incentives for teachers.

 

"These pupils deserve - above all else - talented teachers who stay and who are motivated to become heads."