[ 2011-11-14 ]

David Cameron goes to war on Britain's 'coasting schools'
London (UK) - 13 Nov 2011 – The Telegraph - In
an article for The Daily Telegraph, the Prime
Minister says there is a “shocking gap”
between the best and worst schools and their
teachers as many “coast” and “muddle
through”.

He says the “secret failure” of comprehensive
schools in wealthy shires and market towns is as
significant as the problems facing schools in
deprived, inner-city areas.

The shortcoming has been hidden from parents
because league tables identify only problem
schools rather than institutions achieving average
results when their pupils have the potential to be
top achievers.

In today’s article, Mr Cameron discloses that
tackling the “coasting comprehensives” will be
a top priority for the Government. Sir Michael
Wilshaw, the new chief inspector of schools, is
said to have them “in his sights”.

Mr Cameron writes: “Why should we put up with a
school content to let a child sit at the back of
the class, swapping Facebook updates? Or one where
pupils and staff count down the hours to the end
of term without ever asking why B grades can’t
be turned into As. Britain can’t let weak
schools smother children’s potential.”

He says that while it is “relatively easy” to
identify problem schools, it is just as important
to tackle those that are resigned to mediocrity.

“It is just as important to tackle those all
over the country content to muddle through —
places where respectable results and a decent
local reputation mask a failure to meet
potential,” he writes.

“Children who did well in primary school but who
lose momentum. Early promise fades. This is the
hidden crisis in our schools — in prosperous
shires and market towns just as much as in the
inner cities.”

In January, new league tables will be published
that will show how low-, middle- and
high-achieving children are performing in their
schools.

In June, a new national pupil database will be
introduced to show how pupils have progressed
during their time in school. The data will not
disclose any names but should allow parents to
identify schools that are better at pushing
certain pupils in different subjects.

Mr Cameron writes: “This challenge is one for
all parts of the country — places where
governors, parents and teachers might never guess
things might be wrong. That’s why it is vital to
shine a spotlight on secret failure by giving
people the information they need to fight for
change.

“The last government shied away from the
problem. It kept huge amounts of data under wraps
— focusing only on league tables which seemed to
show things were getting better every year. It set
a narrow definition of coasting schools which
allowed many to slip through the net undetected.
By contrast, this Government is going to widen it
so that more average schools are pressed to do
better.”

The Prime Minister says Mossbourne Academy in
Hackney, one of the most deprived areas in
Britain, is now achieving far higher marks than
comprehensives in middle-class areas across the
Home Counties.

“The point of education is to change lives —
it’s not good enough for teachers in shire
counties to be satisfied with half of children
getting five good GCSEs, when Mossbourne Academy
achieves 82 per cent in Hackney,” writes Mr
Cameron.

“When people involved in education can see what
needs to be done to get out of a rut — and are
given the freedom to make their own choices rather
than orders from above — dramatic improvement is
possible. Goffs School in Cheshunt, for instance,
went from barely half its pupils achieving five
good GCSEs including English and maths, to almost
three quarters in a single year.”

It is understood that the Government has decided
against sending “hit squads” into
comprehensives identified as “coasting”.
Ministers instead hope that by publicly
identifying failing schools, parents and governors
will put staff under intense pressure to improve
standards.

Sir Michael Wilshaw, the incoming head of Ofsted,
previously warned that the watchdog needed to do
more to tackle teachers who were coasting.

He said extra effort was needed to identify “the
teacher … who year in, year out just comes up to
the mark, but only just, and does the bare
minimum”.


The Government is also giving permission for
dozens of new free schools, effectively
independent schools paid for by taxpayers within
the state system, across the country. Mr Cameron
says he wants these schools to be the “shock
troops of innovation” who will “smash through
complacency”.

The Coalition is also relaxing admissions and
expansion rules for successful schools, which is
expected to lead to an increase in grammar school
places.

Yesterday, it emerged that some grammar schools
are planning to take over schools in neighbouring
towns — effectively leading to the creation of
the first new grammar schools since the 1960s.

Graham Brady, chairman of the Conservatives’
backbench 1922 Committee, said it was a “small
but important step”

We shall shame schools that 'muddle through’
New league tables will smash the complacency
present in much of the education system, writes
David Cameron.
London (UK) - 13 Nov 2011 – The Telegraph - What
makes a great school? Hard work, committed
teachers, an inspiring head and parents who
don’t think education stops at the school gate.
The recipe is obvious. That doesn’t make it
easy.

I’ve huge respect for the many outstanding state
schools in this country and the brilliant new
generation of teachers coming to work in them. But
there’s also a shocking gap between the best and
the worst.

For every fantastic school such as Burlington
Danes Academy in west London – not long ago “a
war zone”, according to its head teacher, but
now with a waiting list and shortlisted for awards
– there are others that drift along tolerating
second best.

Why should we put up with a school content to let
a child sit at the back of the class, swapping
Facebook updates? Or one where pupils and staff
count down the hours to the end of term without
ever asking why B grades can’t be turned into
As?

Britain can’t let weak schools smother
children’s potential. We have got to turn every
brain and every willing hand to the task of
rebuilding our economy and society.

Already free schools – fully independent schools
within the state sector, launched by this
Government, funded by taxpayers and set up by
parents and teachers, charities and entrepreneurs
– are revolutionising education. Today, the
Government is launching plans for more – for
children with behavioural problems or special
needs.

I know free schools work. I have seen for myself
– and what’s happening is fantastic. By next
September, more than 80 free schools will have
opened across England.

I want them to be the shock troops of innovation
in our education system. They are going to smash
through complacency. Two thirds of the first ones
are oversubscribed, with some seeing more than
three applications for every place.

Spotting the real problem schools, looking at the
league tables and sending in the inspectors to
sort them out is relatively easy. And we remain
relentless about combating entrenched failure. We
will soon have taken over more failing schools
with new academies than in the whole eight years
of the programme under Labour.

But it’s just as important to tackle those all
over the country content to muddle through –
places where respectable results and a decent
local reputation mask a failure to meet potential.
Children who did well in primary school but who
lose momentum. Early promise fades.

This is the hidden crisis in our schools – in
prosperous shires and market towns just as much as
the inner cities.

So I am excited that Sir Michael Wilshaw, one of
the finest head teachers this country has had, is
taking over as chief inspector of schools. He’s
already made clear that he has coasting schools in
his sights.

This challenge is one for all parts of the country
– places where governors, parents and teachers
might never guess things might be wrong. That’s
why it is vital to shine a spotlight on secret
failure by giving people the information they need
to fight for change.

The last government shied from the problem. It
kept huge amounts of data under wraps – focusing
only on league tables that seemed to show things
were getting better every year. It set a narrow
definition of coasting schools, which allowed many
to slip through the net undetected. By contrast,
this Government is going to widen it so that more
average schools are pressed to do better.

From January, we are going to sort out league
tables so that everyone involved in schools can
see for the first time whether they are doing as
well as they should.

From June, we will release data about the
performance of all pupils from the National Pupil
Database. Of course, it will be anonymous, but you
will be able to see what happened to individual
pupils: where they started, the progress they made
and where they ended up. We’ve also made
spending data public. All this will allow people
to spot the truth and confront failure where it
exists.

We are also toughening up exams. More pupils are
taking essential core subjects. Already, around a
quarter more children have been entered for modern
language and history GCSEs than last year.
There’s been a stunning 82 per cent increase in
the numbers of pupils studying triple sciences.
Later this week, we will also be saying more about
plans for apprenticeships.

The point of education is to change lives. It’s
not good enough for teachers in shire counties to
be satisfied with half of children getting five
good GCSEs, when Mossbourne Academy achieves 82
per cent in Hackney.

When people involved in education can see what
needs to be done to get out of a rut – and are
given the freedom to make their own choices,
rather than take orders from above – dramatic
improvement is possible. Goffs School in Cheshunt,
for instance, went from barely half its pupils
achieving five good GCSEs, including English and
Maths, to almost three quarters in a single year.


Schools must help children to go further than
anyone ever thought they could. We must give
parents the evidence they need to get together to
demand better. So that is what we are doing.

Source - The Telegraph

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