Increase in failing schools revealed
2003 saw a slight increase in the number of failing schools in England, the first rise since Labour came to power in 1997, according to the chief inspector of schools.
Ofsted’s latest annual report found the total number of failed schools for 2002-03 stood at 272 – nearly 50 per cent down from the 515 in 1997-98.
Of the 160 new schools which “failed” last year, 99 were primary, 35 secondary, 18 special schools and eight were pupil referral units.
Poor teaching and weak head teachers were identified as reasons behind the poor results.
But David Bell said the rise was minimal and overall standards were improving.
Mr Bell told the BBC last night: “There is a slight increase in the number of failing schools we identified last year. It has gone up now to about 282 in total, although that still only represents 1.2 per cent of all schools in England.
“Now even one failing school is not good news, but it is important to keep this in context. I think we can be given 7/10 for schools, with more work to do, but building on steady progress.”
Earlier in the day, Mr Bell said in areas of high “social and economic disadvantage,” many schools still struggled to give a “consistently good quality of education.”
But he defended the issuing of ‘special measures’ status to schools adjudged to have under performed.
Schools Minister David Miliband underlined the belief that standards in teaching English, Maths and Science have risen “dramatically” over the last five or six years.
Doug McAvoy, general secretary of teahcers’ union, the NUT, criticised the attention given to “failing schools.”
‘With teacher turnover and funding difficulties, the designation of ‘failing school’ is hardly an attraction to teachers wanting to further their careers. The damage such a punitive approach causes must be recognised.
“But David Bell should have commented more sharply on some of the Government’s own goals which are sapping the confidence of teachers.
“It is only possible to assert that there has been a levelling off in improvement in standards if the success of schools is measured against the Government’s absurd targets that have been plucked out of the air.”
