Balls sets schools deadline for councils

Local authorities have until the summer to develop action plans to turn around 638 low-performing state secondary schools, children's secretary Ed Balls has said.

Balls said he expected every council to make plans for those schools where less than 30 per cent of pupils achieve A* to C grade at GCSE, including English and maths.

Options include becoming an academy or trust school, federating with a high-performing local school, or closing, he told Monday's Guardian.

A scheme whereby teams of expert leaders - including successful headteachers, deputies and heads of department - are sent into schools will also be promoted in London, Balls said.

"I'm expecting every local authority to have an action plan for those schools below 30 per cent, as well as the coasting schools. It will require every authority to play its role," he said.

The minister added that the plans would focus on the 70 per cent of the 638 schools that had failed to improve in the past four years.

And he said that 35 local authorities have been singled out for particular support.

"I understand very well that schools with a high number of children on free school meals and those with behavioural difficulties need extra support and help," he said.

"But I don't accept there should be a link between poverty and educational attainment.

"A culture of excusing poor performing pupils on the basis of deprivation will let another generation of pupils fail."