Six more projects maintain pace

ENGLAND – Secretary of State for children, schools and families Ed Balls, and schools minister Jim Knight, gave the go-ahead late last month to develop detailed plans for six new academies in Bournemouth, Sandwell, two in Croydon and two in Wolverhampton.

This announcement means the number of academies to be open in 2010 is on track to hit 243.

These new academies form part of the department’s plan to accelerate the academies programme as one of the building blocks of the National Challenge programme. Academies are one of the key parts of the strategy to realise this goal.

The Prime Minister and Mr Balls have said that by 2011 all schools should have at least 30 per cent of pupils achieving 5 A-C GCSEs, including English and Maths.

In 1997 1,610 schools did not meet this threshold – that number is now down to 440. National Challenge will improve the exam results of these 440 schools by ensuring local authorities have an action plan for each one including, in some cases, converting to academies.

The National Challenge programme is building on the lessons learnt from the London Challenge where the capital was given an intensive focus on improvement.

This has led to 60 per cent of pupils in maintained schools gaining five or more good GCSE passes – up 10 percentage points over the last four years and by over 20 percentage points in the last decade.

Mr Balls said: “Academies are turning round low performing schools in disadvantaged communities with results improving at over twice the national average. So that’s why I’m delighted to announce that I’ve given the go-ahead to develop detailed proposals for six new academies in Wolverhampton, Croydon, Bournemouth and Sandwell.

“The National Challenge and City Challenge programmes are about tackling the link between deprivation and low educational achievement – this is one of the biggest tasks facing our education system.

“All pupils deserve the chance to go to a good school where they can fulfil their potential and I believe these new academies will help us achieve this.”