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You can’t build a northern powerhouse if you undermine the local schools You can’t build a northern powerhouse if you undermine the local schools
(6 months later)
Today, two directions of travel for education policy have been set out. One comes from Ofsted, whose chief inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, this morning called for a programme of collaboration and partnership between local councils, communities and school leaders to turn around failing schools in the parts of the country where stubborn underperformance prevails. This includes the area where my own children go to school – Manchester.Today, two directions of travel for education policy have been set out. One comes from Ofsted, whose chief inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, this morning called for a programme of collaboration and partnership between local councils, communities and school leaders to turn around failing schools in the parts of the country where stubborn underperformance prevails. This includes the area where my own children go to school – Manchester.
Wilshaw says that the “northern powerhouse” will “splutter and die” if youngsters in the north are not given the excellent education and skills they need to succeed later on in life, not only holding back the prospects of young people in these areas, but also risking the economic and stability of this region as a whole.Wilshaw says that the “northern powerhouse” will “splutter and die” if youngsters in the north are not given the excellent education and skills they need to succeed later on in life, not only holding back the prospects of young people in these areas, but also risking the economic and stability of this region as a whole.
Related: Underperforming schools 'putting northern powerhouse plans at risk'
The other proposal comes from the government, whose first education bill of the parliament returns to the House of Commons today. This bill is the ideological outlet for the Tories’ obsession with school structures: a part of their plan to convert every school to an academy in a further centralisation of powers in Whitehall. Rather than play a key role in the so-called “devolution revolution”, this bill actually cuts parents and local communities further out of the schools landscape, removing the requirement for local consultation over what should happen to failing schools.The other proposal comes from the government, whose first education bill of the parliament returns to the House of Commons today. This bill is the ideological outlet for the Tories’ obsession with school structures: a part of their plan to convert every school to an academy in a further centralisation of powers in Whitehall. Rather than play a key role in the so-called “devolution revolution”, this bill actually cuts parents and local communities further out of the schools landscape, removing the requirement for local consultation over what should happen to failing schools.
The difference between these two directions of travel could not be starker. As the government is taking another step towards deeper fragmentation within the schools landscape and more isolated schools, Ofsted joins the voices calling for more intensive, localised action and collaboration to turn around systemic failure.The difference between these two directions of travel could not be starker. As the government is taking another step towards deeper fragmentation within the schools landscape and more isolated schools, Ofsted joins the voices calling for more intensive, localised action and collaboration to turn around systemic failure.
It is Wilshaw who is right. For years, it has been evident that strong local partnerships and collaboration, alongside effective high-quality teaching and leadership in schools, are essential to raise standards and turn around persistent underperformance once and for all. There was nothing inevitable about the improvements that London schools made under the last Labour government. It was the concerted effort by local headteachers, politicians, councils, businesses and communities to work together and take collective, robust action that was at the heart of the transformation in schools at that time. Today, schools in the city far outperform the majority elsewhere. There is no reason why other pupils in the country cannot have, or do not deserve, the same dynamic success that London has seen.It is Wilshaw who is right. For years, it has been evident that strong local partnerships and collaboration, alongside effective high-quality teaching and leadership in schools, are essential to raise standards and turn around persistent underperformance once and for all. There was nothing inevitable about the improvements that London schools made under the last Labour government. It was the concerted effort by local headteachers, politicians, councils, businesses and communities to work together and take collective, robust action that was at the heart of the transformation in schools at that time. Today, schools in the city far outperform the majority elsewhere. There is no reason why other pupils in the country cannot have, or do not deserve, the same dynamic success that London has seen.
It has been evident that strong local partnerships and collaboration are key to raising standardsIt has been evident that strong local partnerships and collaboration are key to raising standards
Yet the Tories’ only strategy for standards is to continue to splinter the schools system and centralise control in Whitehall. This could not be further from what we know works in school improvement. And it will hinder the success of the regions that are so key to the government’s own agenda. The realisation of the northern powerhouse fundamentally depends on ensuring that all young people in the area get the excellent education they deserve, in order to fulfil their potential. Any action the government takes on securing the powerhouse will ultimately be for nothing if standards for pupils in the north fail to improve.Yet the Tories’ only strategy for standards is to continue to splinter the schools system and centralise control in Whitehall. This could not be further from what we know works in school improvement. And it will hinder the success of the regions that are so key to the government’s own agenda. The realisation of the northern powerhouse fundamentally depends on ensuring that all young people in the area get the excellent education they deserve, in order to fulfil their potential. Any action the government takes on securing the powerhouse will ultimately be for nothing if standards for pupils in the north fail to improve.
The examples the Wilshaw draws on today, such as Greater Manchester and Liverpool, are not unique. Overall, almost a third of secondary schools in the north-east are less than good. There are 16 local authorities around the country where less than 60% of children attend good or outstanding secondary schools, achieve lower than national results at GCSE and are also behind in terms of expected progress. While the government’s sole tool for school improvement is “academisation”, in some of these areas every single one of these schools is already an academy. The key question this government has failed to answer for these areas is, “what now?” It simply has no plan or understanding of how to drive up standards here. All the while, far too many children are being left to fall behind.The examples the Wilshaw draws on today, such as Greater Manchester and Liverpool, are not unique. Overall, almost a third of secondary schools in the north-east are less than good. There are 16 local authorities around the country where less than 60% of children attend good or outstanding secondary schools, achieve lower than national results at GCSE and are also behind in terms of expected progress. While the government’s sole tool for school improvement is “academisation”, in some of these areas every single one of these schools is already an academy. The key question this government has failed to answer for these areas is, “what now?” It simply has no plan or understanding of how to drive up standards here. All the while, far too many children are being left to fall behind.
These areas are crying out for local leadership. Despite this, the government continues down the road that removes communities from the picture and leaves local leaders feeling powerless to intervene when they finally hear of problems in schools.These areas are crying out for local leadership. Despite this, the government continues down the road that removes communities from the picture and leaves local leaders feeling powerless to intervene when they finally hear of problems in schools.
Related: George Osborne’s ‘northern powerhouse’ project will devastate whole cities | Leo Hollis
So while Wilshaw is right, it is also vital that we recognise that we must enable local communities to play their part in supporting their schools. In order to have the dramatic impact that is required to improve the life chances of young people in these parts of the country, there must be a better joined-up and strategic approach to school improvement and local oversight, which encourages collaboration and fosters innovation and partnership between all stakeholders – school leaders, councillors, multi-academy trusts, businesses and parents. In Greater Manchester and Liverpool, for example, mayors should be given powers and a key role in turning these cities into centres of educational excellence, helping to deliver the change in standards that local pupils deserve.So while Wilshaw is right, it is also vital that we recognise that we must enable local communities to play their part in supporting their schools. In order to have the dramatic impact that is required to improve the life chances of young people in these parts of the country, there must be a better joined-up and strategic approach to school improvement and local oversight, which encourages collaboration and fosters innovation and partnership between all stakeholders – school leaders, councillors, multi-academy trusts, businesses and parents. In Greater Manchester and Liverpool, for example, mayors should be given powers and a key role in turning these cities into centres of educational excellence, helping to deliver the change in standards that local pupils deserve.
It no longer makes any sense to leave schools outside the localism agenda. If the government means what it says about a northern powerhouse, it must rethink its approach to oversight and accountability in schools. Every day children fall further behind in these parts of the country is a day too long. Rather than continuing to waste time obsessing over whether a school is an academy or free school or whatever, the government should now focus on delivering a robust system of local oversight that supports collaboration between families of schools everywhere. By now it should have realised that it doesn’t have that time to waste.It no longer makes any sense to leave schools outside the localism agenda. If the government means what it says about a northern powerhouse, it must rethink its approach to oversight and accountability in schools. Every day children fall further behind in these parts of the country is a day too long. Rather than continuing to waste time obsessing over whether a school is an academy or free school or whatever, the government should now focus on delivering a robust system of local oversight that supports collaboration between families of schools everywhere. By now it should have realised that it doesn’t have that time to waste.