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| Disadvantage no excuse for poor performance of schools - Ofsted chief | Disadvantage no excuse for poor performance of schools - Ofsted chief |
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| The chief inspector of schools in England has blamed “disadvantage one-upmanship” for holding back a core group of schools. | The chief inspector of schools in England has blamed “disadvantage one-upmanship” for holding back a core group of schools. |
| Amanda Spielman said 130 schools had failed to record a good inspection since 2005 despite the efforts of successive governments and policymakers. | Amanda Spielman said 130 schools had failed to record a good inspection since 2005 despite the efforts of successive governments and policymakers. |
| Delivering Ofsted’s first annual report since becoming head of the education watchdog earlier this year, Spielman said there were common factors stopping the schools improving, including high turnover of staff, unstable leadership and high levels of deprivation and special needs among pupils. | |
| She said, however, that deprivation alone could not be used as an excuse for the failure to improve schools. | She said, however, that deprivation alone could not be used as an excuse for the failure to improve schools. |
| “There is no doubt that the leadership challenge facing some schools is great. But progress is possible and we should all be wary of using the makeup of a school community as an excuse for under-performance,” Spielman said on Wednesday. | “There is no doubt that the leadership challenge facing some schools is great. But progress is possible and we should all be wary of using the makeup of a school community as an excuse for under-performance,” Spielman said on Wednesday. |
| “I do find myself frustrated with with the culture of ‘disadvantage one-upmanship’ that has emerged in some places. Fixation on all the things holding schools back can distract us all from working on the things that take them forward. | “I do find myself frustrated with with the culture of ‘disadvantage one-upmanship’ that has emerged in some places. Fixation on all the things holding schools back can distract us all from working on the things that take them forward. |
| “Schools with all ranges of children can and do succeed.” | “Schools with all ranges of children can and do succeed.” |
| Of the 130 schools repeatedly rated as inadequate or requiring improvement, clusters were found in the Midlands, including nine in Northamptonshire and eight in Birmingham, the largest local authority in England. | Of the 130 schools repeatedly rated as inadequate or requiring improvement, clusters were found in the Midlands, including nine in Northamptonshire and eight in Birmingham, the largest local authority in England. |
| The total of 80 primary and 50 secondary schools have been inspected four times since 2005. Ofsted said many had higher than average proportions of pupils with special needs or white British pupils from low-income backgrounds. Around 80% had high proportions of pupils from deprived areas. | The total of 80 primary and 50 secondary schools have been inspected four times since 2005. Ofsted said many had higher than average proportions of pupils with special needs or white British pupils from low-income backgrounds. Around 80% had high proportions of pupils from deprived areas. |
| The schools represent a small fraction of the more than 21,000 state schools in England, and the report showed a record number of state schools in England were rated as good or outstanding, including 90% of primary schools and 79% of secondary schools. | The schools represent a small fraction of the more than 21,000 state schools in England, and the report showed a record number of state schools in England were rated as good or outstanding, including 90% of primary schools and 79% of secondary schools. |
| Speaking to an invited audience of school leaders, Spielman said: “Whole cohorts of children have passed through these schools without ever receiving a good education.” | Speaking to an invited audience of school leaders, Spielman said: “Whole cohorts of children have passed through these schools without ever receiving a good education.” |
| Many heads had managed to succeed with schools and pupils in unpromising surroundings. “It doesn’t make sense that we have communities that can never have good schools,” she said. | Many heads had managed to succeed with schools and pupils in unpromising surroundings. “It doesn’t make sense that we have communities that can never have good schools,” she said. |
| Spielman told head teachers not to wallow in self-pity: “It seems that school leaders are constantly comparing notes” over how many deprived or difficult pupils they teach. | Spielman told head teachers not to wallow in self-pity: “It seems that school leaders are constantly comparing notes” over how many deprived or difficult pupils they teach. |
| “I am sometimes reminded of Monty Python’s Four Yorkshiremen sketch,” she said. | “I am sometimes reminded of Monty Python’s Four Yorkshiremen sketch,” she said. |
| Spielman also accused a small group of private faith schools of “deliberately flouting British values and equalities law”. | Spielman also accused a small group of private faith schools of “deliberately flouting British values and equalities law”. |
| Angela Rayner, the shadow education secretary, said the real problem was that pupils had been failed by the government’s policies. | Angela Rayner, the shadow education secretary, said the real problem was that pupils had been failed by the government’s policies. |
| “The government have missed their teacher recruitment target,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “One in three of our Sure Start centres have closed. Many teachers have lost up to £5,000 of their real-terms wage over this period. | “The government have missed their teacher recruitment target,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “One in three of our Sure Start centres have closed. Many teachers have lost up to £5,000 of their real-terms wage over this period. |
| “But it’s not just about money but the workload, the pace of change, the difficulty with restrictions and being able to give every child those opportunities. The chief of Ofsted has raised these issues.” | “But it’s not just about money but the workload, the pace of change, the difficulty with restrictions and being able to give every child those opportunities. The chief of Ofsted has raised these issues.” |
| Justine Greening, the education secretary, told the same programme it was not possible to “buy our way out of this problem”. | Justine Greening, the education secretary, told the same programme it was not possible to “buy our way out of this problem”. |
| She said the government had a national policy that it expected to work in different communities. | She said the government had a national policy that it expected to work in different communities. |
| “What I want to try and do with the social mobility action plan is set out an architecture. This is a complex problem, but I am trying to slim it down to key areas that we all need to focus on. Not just government, but also businesses and communities,” she said. | “What I want to try and do with the social mobility action plan is set out an architecture. This is a complex problem, but I am trying to slim it down to key areas that we all need to focus on. Not just government, but also businesses and communities,” she said. |
| “We have to recognise that while teachers and schools are central to this we can’t rely on the school system alone to transform equality of opportunity.” | “We have to recognise that while teachers and schools are central to this we can’t rely on the school system alone to transform equality of opportunity.” |
| Sir Kevan Collins, the head of the Educational Endowment Foundation, said it was unacceptable that so many schools had been allowed to stagnate.“The chief inspector is right to highlight capacity in the system as a barrier for changing this,” he said. | Sir Kevan Collins, the head of the Educational Endowment Foundation, said it was unacceptable that so many schools had been allowed to stagnate.“The chief inspector is right to highlight capacity in the system as a barrier for changing this,” he said. |
| The school standards minister Nick Gibb said standards were rising in primary and secondary schools but the government knew more needed to be done to tackle consistent under-performance. | The school standards minister Nick Gibb said standards were rising in primary and secondary schools but the government knew more needed to be done to tackle consistent under-performance. |
| “We are targeting the areas that need the most support through our ‘opportunity areas’ and by investing £280m over the next two years to target resources at the schools most in need to improve school performance and deliver more good school places,” he said. | “We are targeting the areas that need the most support through our ‘opportunity areas’ and by investing £280m over the next two years to target resources at the schools most in need to improve school performance and deliver more good school places,” he said. |
| “Having excellent teachers in our most challenging schools is also key to school improvement, which is why we’re investing £75m in teachers’ professional development and announced a further £42m for training in the budget.” | “Having excellent teachers in our most challenging schools is also key to school improvement, which is why we’re investing £75m in teachers’ professional development and announced a further £42m for training in the budget.” |