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| GCSE results prove success of sponsored academies, says government | GCSE results prove success of sponsored academies, says government |
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| The government is claiming proof of success for its breakneck programme of turning secondary schools into sponsored academies as league tables appear to show these schools generating more rapid improvements in results than the overall average. | The government is claiming proof of success for its breakneck programme of turning secondary schools into sponsored academies as league tables appear to show these schools generating more rapid improvements in results than the overall average. |
| GCSE results for more than 3,000 secondary schools and colleges in England show that the proportion of students reaching the designated benchmark performance of at least five grades C or higher, including English and maths, rose by 3.1 percentage points in academies sponsored by, for example, a charitable trust or another school. This compared with an overall rise of 0.6 percentage points. | GCSE results for more than 3,000 secondary schools and colleges in England show that the proportion of students reaching the designated benchmark performance of at least five grades C or higher, including English and maths, rose by 3.1 percentage points in academies sponsored by, for example, a charitable trust or another school. This compared with an overall rise of 0.6 percentage points. |
| There were nonetheless some challenging statistics for ministers within the data, not least that well over 160,000 pupils remain in schools that are failing to meet government GCSE targets. A total of 195 schools, with a combined roll of around 167,000, did not reach the expected standard of at least 40% of GCSE pupils getting the five good grades, a target raised from 35% last year. However, this was an improvement on 2011 when, using the 40% target, 251 schools would have failed to reach it. | |
| Analysis of A-level results, also released in the Department for Education (DfE) annual data, showed considerable variance in performance. | Analysis of A-level results, also released in the Department for Education (DfE) annual data, showed considerable variance in performance. |
| A new set of figures this year showed the numbers of students at each institution getting at least two As and one B in "facilitating" subjects, the type of A-levels generally preferred by top universities to select entrants. The data showed just over a quarter of all schools and colleges, around 600, did not have a single pupil reaching this standard. | A new set of figures this year showed the numbers of students at each institution getting at least two As and one B in "facilitating" subjects, the type of A-levels generally preferred by top universities to select entrants. The data showed just over a quarter of all schools and colleges, around 600, did not have a single pupil reaching this standard. |
| The DfE, however, focused on the perceived success of sponsored academies, of which there are 600 throughout England, the majority of them secondaries. | The DfE, however, focused on the perceived success of sponsored academies, of which there are 600 throughout England, the majority of them secondaries. |
| The figures showed "further evidence of the great success of the academy programme in turning around our weakest schools", a DfE spokesman said. "This shows we are right to continue to support the sponsored academy programme. These brilliant sponsors have a track record of arresting decline, and then reversing it." | The figures showed "further evidence of the great success of the academy programme in turning around our weakest schools", a DfE spokesman said. "This shows we are right to continue to support the sponsored academy programme. These brilliant sponsors have a track record of arresting decline, and then reversing it." |
| Some sceptics say certain academies improve their figures by taking advantage of the ability to set their own admissions criteria and so cherry-picking more able pupils. This claim was supported by an independent report into academies earlier this month, which said it had heard evidence of some academies "finding methods to select covertly", for example by holding social events for prospective parents or asking them to fill in lengthy forms. The report, headed by Ofsted's former chief inspector Christine Gilbert, said: "Such practices can enable schools to select pupils from more privileged families where parents have the requisite cultural capital to complete the [form] in ways that will increase their child's chances." | Some sceptics say certain academies improve their figures by taking advantage of the ability to set their own admissions criteria and so cherry-picking more able pupils. This claim was supported by an independent report into academies earlier this month, which said it had heard evidence of some academies "finding methods to select covertly", for example by holding social events for prospective parents or asking them to fill in lengthy forms. The report, headed by Ofsted's former chief inspector Christine Gilbert, said: "Such practices can enable schools to select pupils from more privileged families where parents have the requisite cultural capital to complete the [form] in ways that will increase their child's chances." |
| Away from the political claims, the data most keenly scrutinised by parents will, of course, be individual results in schools and colleges. | Away from the political claims, the data most keenly scrutinised by parents will, of course, be individual results in schools and colleges. |
| The top of the tables was, as ever, dominated by schools which select their intake. At the very top for GCSE results was Colyton grammar school in Devon, where all of its 117 GCSE pupils got at least five grades C or higher, including English and maths. | The top of the tables was, as ever, dominated by schools which select their intake. At the very top for GCSE results was Colyton grammar school in Devon, where all of its 117 GCSE pupils got at least five grades C or higher, including English and maths. |
| The most improved school was Trinity high school and sixth form centre in Redditch, Worcestershire, which has seen the proportion of its pupils hitting this benchmark go from 32% in 2009 to 80% this year. | The most improved school was Trinity high school and sixth form centre in Redditch, Worcestershire, which has seen the proportion of its pupils hitting this benchmark go from 32% in 2009 to 80% this year. |
| The headteacher, Marian Barton, said: "Our results were quite stupendous last year and we're expecting to maintain that improvement this year." | The headteacher, Marian Barton, said: "Our results were quite stupendous last year and we're expecting to maintain that improvement this year." |
| The bottom of the table could be misleading, however, with Pate's grammar school in Cheltenham recording no pupils at all getting five good GCSEs. This was because the school used a new English exam which was not included in this measure. | The bottom of the table could be misleading, however, with Pate's grammar school in Cheltenham recording no pupils at all getting five good GCSEs. This was because the school used a new English exam which was not included in this measure. |