Tag: Press Release

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 28 February 2012.

Last weekend’s Observer made a number of claims about academy performance. Much of their analysis was based on a simplistic comparison between all schools and academies – nearly all of which were previously failing local authority maintained schools. As academies are having to recover from such a low base such a comparison is nonsensical.

The Observer also claim that academies with poor results in 2008 have improved no faster than maintained schools with poor results over the same period. But this analysis excludes the most successful academies that opened between 2001 to 2007 and which had already seen huge improvements. Research by the LSE found results were strongest for schools that have been academies for longer.

Furthermore:

• The analysis of progress measures is limited because the league tables consider progress of pupils over the full five years in secondary school. All pupils in academies will have spent the majority of their time in the underperforming predecessor school not the academy.
• They do not take into account spill-over effects, e.g. local authority schools improving because an academy has opened nearby (as the London School of Economics has suggested is happening).
• They have used a narrow way of comparing schools, looking purely at the free school meal intake.

The government and the NAO actually use a wider range of data to create comparator statistics. We look at FSM rates, previous results and prior attainment levels of pupils. This means we are genuinely comparing like for like.

Facts on academy results

• This year, yet again, academies’ GCSE results improved by nearly twice the level seen across all maintained schools
• Attendance figures at academies are rising faster than in other schools, and the number of NEETs are falling faster in academies than other schools. (NAO report)
• The London Schools of Economics (LSE) found that academies improve faster than comparator schools even when controlling for pupil intake and the use of GCSE “equivalent” qualifications. They also found that academies effect helped raise standards in other local schools
• The attainment rate for FSM pupils in academies improved by 8.0 percentage points between 2009 and 2010. This more than double the improvement rate recorded in comparable schools (3.1 percentage points) and also much higher than the national improvement rate for FSM pupils (4.3 percentage points).
• Results in sponsored academies are generally higher for those that have been open the longest. In 2011, the proportion of pupils achieving 5+ A*to C including English and maths was 42.7 % in sponsored academies open for one year and 52.0 % in those open for 5 or more years. (Department for Education research)

Individual sponsor groups show big rises across their academies. For example:

Harris Federation academies averaged a 13 percentage point increase.

ARK Schools academies averaged a 11 percentage point increase.

Oasis showed an average 9.5 percentage point improvement across their academies which had been open for 2 years.

ULT results show a 7.5 percentage point improvement across their 17 academies – with 6 academies showing improvements of more than 10 percentage points.

Below is the full quote given to the Observer:

A Department spokesman said:

This is a weak and poor snapshot analysis – it’s ridiculous to lump in the lowest performing schools which may have only become academies 5 months ago, with ones which have been established for years.

The fact is that the longer the vast majority of sponsored academies are open, the better the results – far outstripping the underperforming schools they replaced, far faster than the national average and with higher proportion rated outstanding by Ofsted. We know that the poorest pupils make faster progress in academies than in other state schools. The critics can’t ignore overwhelming international evidence which shows that giving schools independence drives up standards and LSE’s research that academies have a knock on effect on results in neighbouring schools.

We do not hesitate in taking robust action in any state-school which does not improve at the pace we expect. Ministers have tough powers to intervene where needed – including removing sponsor, or taking control of the governing body.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 9 February 2012.

Speaking at the London Leadership Strategy ‘Good to great’ conference, he set out his ambition that all children will receive a good or better education and the steps Ofsted proposes to drive faster change.

Sir Michael reiterated plans to replace the satisfactory judgement with ‘requires improvement’ and for all school inspections to be undertaken without notice. He also announced a raising of expectations for outstanding schools and a tighter focus on the way in which headteachers are driving the quality of teaching in their schools.

In his address Sir Michael said:

Quite simply, I believe we need radical improvements to the education system in this country. My view is that we have tolerated mediocrity for far too long – it has settled into the system.

We have made progress. But, the quality of educational provision isn’t improving fast enough and the gap in outcomes between the richest and the poorest isn’t closing. Without a radical change now, we will see more social and economic division in this country.

In order to help deliver a ‘no excuses’ culture, Sir Michael wants Ofsted to support school leaders in driving up the quality of teaching. In his speech, Sir Michael set out principles for outstanding leadership:

• you and your senior team have to show your passion and commitment for teaching in everything you say and do
• you need to be committed to good quality professional development
• you monitor the quality of teaching effectively and ensure performance management is robust in rewarding those who teach well, and doing something about those who consistently underperform

Commenting on the importance of strong leadership, Sir Michael adds:

Unless we have headteachers who take on the difficult challenges of schools performance and adopt a no excuses culture, we are never going to make the improvements we need.

Ofsted is proposing that information about performance management in a school should be gathered as part of the inspection process so that the relationship between reward and quality of teaching in a school can be fully understood.

Sir Michael also signalled a raising of expectations for good and outstanding schools. He said:

We need clear and demanding criteria for a school to be judged ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’. A good school should have at least good teaching, and an outstanding school should have outstanding teaching. Good and outstanding leadership of teaching and learning drives improvement and knows that the culture of the school and the progress of pupils depend on it.

This raising of expectations for outstanding schools will lead to Ofsted reviewing the status of some outstanding schools. This will not mean a return to routine inspection but the selection of more schools for inspection on the basis of risk assessment, including from information gained through Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents to give their views of their child’s school.

Headteachers have welcomed the new focus proposed by Sir Michael.

Robin Bosher, Executive Head, Fairlawn Primary in Honor Oak London says:

A great deal of progress has been made in our schools over recent years but it is vital that heads and teachers continue to strive for continuous improvement – so that every child, regardless of their background or circumstances, can benefit from the best possible education. The changes proposed in Ofsted inspection will help drive this and I hope that all those with an interest will contribute to the consultation.

Rachel Macfarlane, Headteacher of Issac Newton Academy Director of the London Leadership Strategy’s Good to Great and Going for Great programmes adds:

Almost all Headteachers share the belief that it’s their moral purpose to do all they can to close the gap in educational outcomes between the richest and the poorest. That’s why those school leaders on the Good To Great and Going For Great programmes constantly strive to ensure that their schools do better for their pupils.

Ofsted needs to be an agent for improvement in the education system and the London Leadership Strategy shares Sir Michael Wilshaw’s expectation that all outstanding schools will “step up to the plate to support less successful schools.

Reflecting specifically on proposals to introduce changes to the amount of notice schools are given, Jo Morgan, Headteacher, Great Sankey High School adds:

Headteachers should not be afraid of unannounced inspections, as long as they are well orchestrated by Ofsted. Schools should not be defined by the amount of paperwork collated in 48 hours but by strong, dynamic leadership, excellent learning and teaching and the culture and ethos which is ‘typically’ present. Jumping through hoops doesn’t raise standards- ensuring students’ everyday diet is of the highest quality does: that’s what makes the difference. That’s what Ofsted should see. It’s what you do- not what you say you’ve done, or what you’re going to do, that makes the difference to achievement.

The consultation, which also covers changes to Further Education (FE) and skills and Initial Teacher Education (ITE) inspection, sets out seven proposals in total for changes to the way schools are inspected.

From September 2012, it is proposed that:

• schools cannot be judged ‘outstanding’ unless their teaching is ‘outstanding’
• schools will only be deemed to be providing an acceptable standard of education where they are judged to be ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’
• a single judgement of ‘requires improvement’ will replace the current ‘satisfactory’ judgement and ‘notice to improve’ category
• schools judged as ‘requires improvement’ will be subject to a full re-inspection earlier than is currently the case
• a school can only be judged as ‘requires improvement’ on two consecutive inspections before it is deemed to require ‘special measures’
• inspections will be undertaken without notice being provided to the school
• inspectors should undertake an analysis of an anonymised summary, provided by the school, of the outcomes of the most recent performance management of all teachers within the school, as part of the evidence for a judgement on Leadership and Management

The consultations for FE and ITE cover very similar areas.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 9 February 2012.

The revelation comes as the Department for Education publishes over a million items of data – first published by the Coalition Government last year – about the performance of every state school in last year’s GCSE exams. This comes on top of the publication two weeks ago of 400 per cent more league table data.

The figures show that across England there are:

• 137 schools where no pupils were entered for geography GCSE
• 57 schools where no pupils were entered for history GCSE
• 30 schools where no pupils were entered for a modern language GCSE
• 219 schools where no pupils were entered for French GCSE
• 1,067 schools where no pupils were entered for Spanish GCSE
• 516 schools where no pupils were entered for any of the individual science GCSEs

Research published last year by the Department from NatCen showed the huge positive impact the EBacc is having on future GCSE choices. Since its introduction, 47 per cent of pupils taking GCSEs in 2013 are now studying a combination of EBacc subjects – English, maths, a language, history or geography, and two sciences. In 2011, only 22 per cent of pupils were entered for the EBacc in state-funded schools.

Today’s figures also show that schools are not entering as many boys as girls for the EBacc. In 2011, almost one in four girls (23.9 per cent) were entered for the EBacc subjects, compared to under one in five boys (19.4 per cent).

Schools Minister Nick Gibb said:

Today we have published even more data, which until last year was kept secret, so that parents can see what is happening in our schools. Parents can now tell how many children are entered for key academic subjects.

These core subjects are the stepping stone to higher education and employment. But far too many schools simply aren’t giving their pupils the opportunity to study them.

We should have high expectations for all children regardless of their circumstances. Thanks to the EBacc, more young people are now studying the subjects that universities and top employers value.

The statistics also reveal that thousands of disadvantaged children are being failed by their schools. White British boys who qualify for free schools meals are less than half as likely as their peers to get five or more A*-C grades at GCSE including English and maths. Only 26 per cent of them achieved this level, compared with the national average of 58 per cent.

Nick Gibb added:

All too often, talented children from poorer backgrounds simply don’t have the same opportunities as their wealthier peers, meaning they struggle to go onto further education or the jobs they deserve.

Through the Pupil Premium, we are specifically targeting funding at disadvantaged pupils, so that schools have the resources they need to make a difference.

We want to create good schools for all, by expanding the Academies programme to give more schools real freedoms over how they are run, recruiting the best graduates into teaching, and restoring order in the classroom.

The statistics also show a far greater proportion of children with Chinese (78.5 per cent) and Indian (74.4 per cent) origins achieve five or more A*-C grades at GCSE English and maths than their peers. As well as being the highest attainers, children with Chinese origins also have higher levels of progress for English (88.5 per cent) and maths (94.7 per cent) than their peers.

Girls continue to outperform boys. 61.9 per cent of girls achieved five or more A*-C grades at GCSE including English and maths, compared with 54.6 per cent of boys – an attainment gap of 7.3 percentage points.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 7 February 2012.

The competition is open to all seven- to 12-year-olds at schools in England. It will launch in the autumn.

The Department for Education is considering bids to design and co-deliver the competition and will choose a preferred partner in the coming weeks.

The competition will:

• Involve school-led events which Ministers envisage will result in local, regional and national prizes to make reading more attractive.
• Contain a strong peer-to-peer element including getting young people to select competition titles.
• Create a link between school and home to encourage the involvement of parents to support their children.

Nick Gibb said:

I am passionate about wanting all children to develop a real love of books and of reading for pleasure.

Children should always have a book on the go. The difference in achievement between children who read for half an hour a day in their spare time and those who do not is huge – as much as a year’s education by the time they are 15.

A new national reading competition is designed to give a competitive spur to those reluctant readers who are missing out on the vast world of literature.

The Government is committed to driving up reading standards of young people because:

• One in 10 boys leaves primary school with the reading age of a seven-year-old.
• 15 per cent of seven-year-olds do not reach the expected level (level 2) in reading.
• 16 per cent of 11-year-olds do not achieve the expected level (level 4) in reading.
• England has slipped down the international table for reading in primary schools. The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) of 10-year-olds saw England fall from third out of 35 countries in 2001 to fifteenth out of 40 countries in 2006.
• Fifteen-year-olds in England are at least six months behind those in Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada, New Zealand, Japan and Australia, according to the Department’s analysis of the OECD’s 2009 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) study.

Evidence shows that the regular enjoyment of reading leads to higher achievement at school.

• A 2010 survey by the National Literacy Trust (NLT) of eight- to 17-year olds and their reading showed that more than 96 per cent of those that read daily were reading at or above the expected level.
• A 2009 PISA study shows that almost 40 per cent of pupils in England never read for pleasure and that the difference in reading ability between these pupils and those who read for just half an hour a day is equivalent to a year’s schooling at age 15.
• Another survey by the NLT of primary and secondary pupils showed that only 48 per cent of young people think they read enough and that more young people preferred to read websites and text messages than fiction.

The Government wants every child to leave school with a lifelong love of reading and the necessary literacy skills to succeed in life. The Department’s phonics evidence paper shows that the teaching of systematic synthetic phonics is proven to be the best method of teaching early reading. Once a child has mastered the mechanics of reading, building on it in a literacy-rich environment will enable them to become accomplished readers. Only then will they find it easier to read a wider range of literature for their own enjoyment.

The Department announced a scheme to help primary schools teach systematic synthetic phonics and drive up reading standards by offering them up to £3,000 match funding to spend on materials and training. Since the launch of the scheme in September 2011, more than 4,200 schools have signed up to spend more than £10 million on approved products and training.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 7 February 2012.

• £6m Higher Apprenticeship Fund will deliver thousands more degree level places.
• £250m given directly to businesses, so they can take control of the way skills training is delivered.
• £1,500 apprenticeship incentive for small firms now available.

Marking National Apprenticeship Week, the Prime Minister announced a new round of Government funding to help deliver the world class skills firms need to drive growth.

_ Read the Prime Minister’s article on apprenticeships in the Huffington Post _

Businesses and training providers can bid for a share of £6m from the Higher Apprenticeship Fund, which will support the development of thousands of new Higher Apprenticeships in sectors including aerospace, energy and renewable technologies.

The Prime Minister also opened the bidding for the new Employer Ownership pilot, inviting employers in England to apply to access up to £250m of public investment and secure more control over how skills training is designed and delivered. Detailed guidance and application forms for the pilot will be issued towards the end of February. Bidding will close on 26 April 2012.

He also announced that from this week, small firms will be offered an incentive of £1,500 to hire their first apprentices aged 16-24. This is expected to support up to 40,000 new apprenticeships over the next year.

Prime Minister David Cameron said:

“I’m delighted to underline our commitment to strengthen our economy by helping employers take on apprentices and ensure that the UK workforce has the skills that businesses need. Under this Government apprenticeship starts are increasing at a record rate, with improvements across the age range, in all sectors, throughout the country.

“By making apprenticeships a gold standard option for ambitious young people, we are sending a message that technical excellence is as highly valued as academic prowess. And by focusing investment where it is most needed to deliver sustainable growth and offering real ownership of vocational training to employers, we are equipping businesses with the skills they need to rebalance our economy and distribute opportunity more widely.”

Skills Minister John Hayes said:

“Clarity of policy and certainty of purpose in Government has delivered a record number of apprenticeships and driven up standards at every level. We must now go further to create new pathways to excellence for the brightest and best young people and help employers to secure the high-quality skills they need.

“Our mission is to put practical training on a level playing field with academic study, creating a highly skilled, creative workforce that can take on the best in the world.”

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 2 February 2012.

Dame Patricia Hodgson DBE has been appointed to serve as Chair of the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) from 1 February 2012 for three years.

The STRB provides independent advice to the Government on pay and conditions for just under half a million teachers and school leaders in England and Wales.

Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education, said:

I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Dame Patricia Hodgson as the Chair of the School Teachers’ Review Body. She will bring considerable experience to the STRB, which is responsible for providing independent advice on teachers’ pay and conditions.

The right framework for pay and conditions is key for taking forward my vision to drive up standards by enabling heads and governors to recruit and retain high quality teachers.

Having begun her career as a producer and journalist, Dame Patricia Hodgson is currently Deputy Chair of Ofcom, where she previously served as a Board Member. She has a wealth of experience having been Principal of Newnham College, Cambridge, since 2006. From 1993 to 2000 she was Director of Policy and Planning at the BBC, where she was responsible for Charter and licence renegotiations, and for project managing the BBC’s switch to digital.

Accepting her new role, Dame Patricia Hodgson said:

Good teachers change lives. I very much look forward to leading the work of the School Teachers’ Review Body in supporting them.

The Secretary of State will provide the STRB with a remit to introduce greater freedoms and flexibilities in the teachers’ pay framework in due course.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 24 January 2012.

These changes, proposed for September 2012, are intended to raise expectations for further improvement in the performance of these schools, for the benefit of children, parents and carers.

Inspection reports will provide a clear assessment of how children are doing in the context of their age and ability. They will be based on observations of work, taking into account starting points and a school’s record of pupil progress.

Read the consultation: Introducing a new framework for inspecting non-association independent schools.

The key inspection judgments proposed are:

• overall effectiveness
• pupils’ achievement
• pupils’ behaviour and safety
• quality of teaching
• quality of the curriculum
• provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
• provision for pupils’ welfare, health and safety
• leadership and management

In view of the diversity in size and nature of independent schools Ofsted is seeking to consult as widely as possible to gain the views of all interested parties on the proposals.

Ofsted Director of Education and Care, Jean Humphrys said:

The quality of teaching is the key driver of school improvement. One of the main findings from Ofsted inspection in this sector is that the quality of teaching in non-association independent schools tends to be competent but seldom inspiring.

It is vital that our inspection is incisive and rigorous, and that judgments are fair, clear and helpful to a school’s further development. With these new arrangements we will focus more sharply on what makes teaching truly effective.

The proposals build on the current arrangements for inspection. Ofsted will continue to use a 4 point scale to make qualitative judgements. Detailed grade descriptors will seek to provide more consistency, openness and transparency and encourage independent schools to strive further for improvements to the quality of provision.

Ofsted currently gives independent schools 2 days’ notice of their education inspection but for inspection of care in boarding and residential special schools no notice is given. Ofsted intends to adopt a similar system for the education inspection of independent schools. Pupils, parents and carers have told Ofsted that inspection without notice is important as it lets the inspectors see the school as it really is.

The views of the pupils themselves, as well as parents, carers, staff and local authorities who use the services of independent schools are highly valued by inspectors who follow up the issues they raise. These views will continue to be an important feature of inspection.

Despite recent improvement, the biggest single weakness in non-association independent schools remains the high proportion of schools (12%) which do not have sufficiently robust arrangements for safeguarding pupils’ welfare, health and safety. Ofsted will continue to check that secure and robust arrangements are made to provide a safe environment for children. It is therefore proposed to retain the separate judgement for pupils’ welfare, health and safety.

Additional proposals put forward for consultation cover children’s homes offering education, focussing on the quality of education where it is weakest: for looked after children in independent children’s homes which are registered education providers.

Among independent children’s homes which are registered education providers there is a comparatively lower proportion that makes good or outstanding educational provision. The new framework will focus on the educational progress and achievements of looked after children and look critically at what schools are doing to close the gap between their achievements and other pupils.

Following the consultation, Ofsted intends to test the new inspection arrangements in pilot inspections, before introduction in September 2012.

Ofsted inspects all non-association independent schools in England. These comprise around half of more than 2,000 independent schools. The remainder is inspected by the independent inspection bodies, Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), School Inspection Service (SIS) and Bridge Schools Inspectorate (BSI).

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 23 January 2012.

Education Secretary Michael Gove has extended the appointments for three Board Members of the Government’s delivery agency, Partnerships for Schools (PfS).

Richard Baldwin, Stella Earnshaw and Brian Rigby will serve on the Board from now until PfS closes and becomes part of the new Government Executive Agency – the Education Funding Agency. They will serve until 31st July 2012 to allow for liquidation to take place. Erica Pienaar will remain as the fourth Board Member, for the same period of time.

Richard Baldwin has also taken over from Mike Grabiner as Chair of the Board of Directors this month.

Richard Baldwin was first appointed as a PfS Board member in January 2005, and was reappointed in January 2008 for a further three years. Richard has a strong background in the private sector including the construction industry. He was previously a non-voting member of the BSFI Investment Committee. More recently, Richard chairs a national Centre for Innovation in Health and Social Care and is a Visiting Professor to the Centre for Research and Innovation (Construction and Property Management) at the University of Salford.

Stella Earnshaw is the Chair of the PfS Audit Committee. Stella was originally appointed to the PfS Board in 2005, and her appointment has now been extended three times. Stella has held various board positions in the public and private sector, Stella is also Vice Chair of the West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

Brian Rigby was first appointed to the PfS Board in 2005. His appointment has been extended three times. Brian is a Visiting Fellow of Warwick Business School. He has previously been the Director of the Procurement Group for HM Treasury and enjoyed a long career in senior management with BT.

Erica Pienaar was first appointed to the PfS Board in 2010, to serve until 2013. Erica’s term of office will now run until PfS is liquidated. Erica Pienaar is the executive head teacher of the Leathersellers’ Federation of Schools. She began her career as a science teacher in 1973 and has taught for 36 years in South East London. Erica is also a National Leader of Education (NLE), a Non-Executive Director at James Allen’s Girls School, and a Freeman of the Company of Educators.