Schools not fully engaged in improving standards, says Ofsted
The Government’s “Excellence in Cities” scheme is helping improve standards, but there are still some teachers reluctant to believe that standards can be raised, according to a new report from schools’ watchdog Ofsted.
Head teachers in some inner city schools are misusing funds meant for gifted pupils and allocating the money to general actives, rather that to raise the performance of high-potential underachievers.
And others are “reluctant to accept that higher academic standards are achievable” and in a minority of schools “there was a pervasive blame culture and in these schools the headteachers attributed low standards and challenging behaviour exclusively to the pupils’ home circumstances.”
Overall though, Ofsted believes that its survey of 28 primary schools participating in the programme found that EiC is starting to have a positive impact.
Chief Inspector of Schools, David Bell, said: “Pupils in disadvantaged areas face poverty, exclusion and low expectations. The Excellence in Cities programme is helping to secure a brighter future for them.
“The programme has made a valuable contribution to social inclusion as schools have increased their awareness of the barriers pupils face and developed appropriate intervention strategies.”
He pointed to EiC schools improving above the national rate, and praised the use of learning mentors in improving pupils attitudes to the transfer to secondary school – but warned that “overall, little headway has been made developing curriculum continuity and progression.”
The Department for Education is now urged to provide better leadership to the programme, improve the schools’ management – with a particular focus on schools with weak leadership teams.
