More schools threatened with closure
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.More secondary schools across England could be under threat after the Government said it would expand its hit list of underperforming schools despite a record year for overall GCSE results yesterday.
A total of 638 schools was warned last year that they could be closed or be turned into an academy – state-maintained independent schools set up with the help of outside sponsors – unless their GCSE results improved; last summer, fewer than 30 per cent of their pupils achieved five GCSEs at grades A*-C, including maths and English.
They are likely to be joined by more secondaries, after the Department for Children, Schools and Families said that any school that failed to reach that mark yesterday could be added to the National Challenge programme. Every school in England must reach that target by 2011, under plans announced by Ed Balls, the Children's Secretary, in June.
However, those schools on the hitlist whose results improve this year will not be removed.
Headteachers of schools on the hitlist called the decision "ridiculous" yesterday.
Liam Nolan, who became the headteacher last year of Perry Beeches school in Birmingham, said results leapt from 21 per cent in 2007 to 51 per cent yesterday. "It is absolutely ridiculous that they are going to be sending me advisers in September. It is just adding another layer of bureaucracy. It is absurd that I have had to spend my time doing this when I should be spending time in the classroom."
John Dunford, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said schools moving above and below the "arbitrary threshold" highlighted "the stupidity of putting a school's reputation at risk on the basis of a single year's results".
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments