'Schools are not failing'
HEADTEACHERS have hit back after the Government warned six Plymouth schools to raise exam results or face possible closure.
Education Secretary Ed Balls yesterday launched the £400million 'National Challenge' to improve 638 secondary schools.
Under the scheme, schools where fewer than 30 per cent of youngsters fail to get at least five C grades in their GCSEs, including English and maths, could face closure or being taken over by private firms.
City principals have accused the Government of scaremongering, balked at their colleges being “named and shamed” and slammed the target set as “arbitrary”.
The list includes six of Plymouth's 17 secondary schools: John Kitto Community College, Tamarside Community College, Estover Community College, Lipson Community College, Parkside Community College and Sir John Hunt Community Sports College.
Parkside has already been earmarked for closure due to falling pupil numbers.
Keith Ballance, Tamarside Community College's head, said: “The notion and suggestion that schools are failing is an absolute disgrace.
“To suggest you can measure a school by one particular target is unrealistic”, he said.
Mr Ballance said schools were not against working with the Government to improve the life chances of their children but the National Challenge was “scaremongering for a Government that perceives itself as being in trouble”.
“Tamarside was described as 'good with outstanding factors'”, he said. “We are a good school, as are the vast majority of schools in Plymouth. The idea that we are failing is a joke.”
Wendy Brett, head of Sir John Hunt, said: “It's naming and shaming 638 schools on the basis of one arbitrary figure.
“I think that just using such figures and giving ultimatums to schools isn't showing the right engagement with improvement.”
She said the list did not reflect “the whole picture” for schools in the Plymouth area.
“It only looks at one aspect of what we do and doesn't take into account the variety of learning pathways we offer: the different qualifications”, she said.
Pete Grainger, John Kitto's headteacher, said the Government should “leave our schools alone” and let the professionals do their jobs.
He said he was confident John Kitto would address the 30 per cent target by 2011, but called it an unfair measure.
“It's arbitrary and a bit like saying to Plymouth Argyle, 'If you don't win the championship next year then we're closing you down and buying new players in.' It's frustrating.”
Mr Grainger said he wholeheartedly supported Plymouth's Strategy for Change and John Kitto was doing everything it could to raise standards of attainment.
Under the strategy, launched last month, Tamarside, John Kitto and Lipson community colleges could all be reduced in size and be changed to either trust or academy status.
Mr Grainger said: “It may well be that some schools become academies, but it will be done through choice and belief it's for the best rather than through threats.”
Lipson Community College principal Steve Baker said: “Every time the Government's in trouble they bring out a new arbitrary figure.”
He added that he hoped the National Challenge would actually lead to “long-lasting improvements” in educational standards.
Vince Burke, National Association of Headteachers spokesman for Plymouth, said the target “flies in the face” of what local schools had been striving to achieve.
“What people have got to understand is that this target of 30 per cent is a Government target to come into effect by 2011”, he said. “It's not a current target; it's something we are working towards.”
He said he was confident that schools would meet the target within three years.
Mr Burke stressed that there were no failing schools in Plymouth, according to Ofsted.
Plymouth City Council will be given a 50-day deadline to come up with a rescue plan for each of the schools on the list.
Ways in which schools will be encouraged to meet the target include using partnerships with successful schools (federations) or with business or universities (trusts) to improve performance.
Options for those failing to meet the target by 2011 include setting up an academy, sponsored and run by a private business figure, college or church group.
Under the National Challenge there will also be a new type of school structure for those considered “completely unable to raise their exam results”.
These 'National Challenge Trusts' will see the shutting-down of the school and the opening of a new one, in partnership with a high-performing school and a partner such as a local business or university, with up to £750,000 of funding then being made available.
A council spokesman said: “In Plymouth we're ahead of the game, as we're looking at a whole range of options for our schools as part of our Strategy For Change, which we launched last month.
“We strongly refute any suggestion that the schools named in the list are 'failing'. Plymouth does not have any failing schools. It has good schools, but some operate in challenging circumstances.
“We have recognised that these schools need to be made a priority in terms of improving attainment, which is why we have already suggested trust or academy status for them”, he said.
“We are keen to involve the wider community and have over the last few weeks been hearing from parents, teachers and education organisations about the ideas put forward”, the spokesman added.
Comment and Your View – Page 11
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by A level student (lipson), plymouth
Monday, June 23 2008, 10:53PM
“when i read this article i was shocked to read how many schools are "failing". what the government mean is that we are failing in certain subjects. But arent we also told that as young people being different is a good thing being the same as everyone else is boring. So no everyone is good at one certain subject. some might fail maths but might be an A grade student in say Drama. I was never any good at maths but at Lipson i was always helped to raise my understanding in that subject, also at lipson i learnt that i was good at different things to other people and that is what made me unique. so dont just look at one subject area as your basis for a "failing" school look at the school as a whole. and i would like to put it to the government to come to one of our concerts and see what kind of performing arts college you will soon be shutting. If standards aren't met. Im disgusted that our government now want support from us.”
by mum, plymouth
Thursday, June 19 2008, 5:45PM
“My daughter went through her primary school without any good friends, being picked on by the louts they keep in class for the sake of 'inclusion' and was generally miserable and alone. Since starting Lipson Community College last year she now has a large group of friends, has settled down well and is achieving fantastically! We chose Lipson because the children we met were happy, enthusiastic and had pride in their school. Not everyone can be clever, whats important is that they are working to their own ability and that they are happy, and i think this is what Lipson does well. Its not fair to say the school is 'failing' when the children clearly aren't. I feel that the government is 'failing' for reducing the importance of every childs achievement to 3 letters (a - c)in one particular type of exam.”
by Claire, Plymouth
Wednesday, June 18 2008, 11:13AM
“I am a student at Lipson community College and i am very disappointed about my school being labeled a failing school. Lipson is an exceptional school with fantastic teachers that are dedicated to their students. Our school has won many awards and had great reports from ofsted saying our school is ¿outstanding¿. The government forget that we have many disabled students that go to our school as well as EAL students. We may not have achieved 30% but 23% is near enough considering the range of students that attend our school. How can we be a failing school if our head teacher has been nominated for best teacher of the year? I think if the government took the time to look around these schools that they have branded ¿failures¿ I think they would be very surprised and shocked to see how hard working our teachers and students are. If your labeling our school failing, then your labeling all the students that have worked hard everyday to get the results they have ¿failures¿.”
by Lisa, plymouth
Wednesday, June 18 2008, 11:13AM
“After reading the article about schools failing, I was disgusted to find that Lipson Community College is within that list. Furthermore it made me laugh as Lipson has recieved many awards for achievements, how can a failing school recieve awards? Surely if anything a failing school would recieve bad criticisms...
Lipson has been constantly praised for their outstanding theatre performances and other activities that they have been involved in. If Lipson was a failing school....Why then would the headmaster Mr. Steve. Baker be up for an award for the best headteacher? Exactly, he wouldn't be. Also how can you tell we are a failing school just by looking at exam results, you forget to mention that Lipson has a high percentage of Special Needs Studets, maybe if all the more intellegent students were not all placed in schools such as; Devonport High School and put into community schools, our academic percentage would be higher, reaching the standard that you so desperatly seek.”
by teacher, Plymouth
Thursday, June 12 2008, 1:31PM
“My daughter is at Lipson Community College and I have seen nothing but teachers who are dedicated and enthusiastic about my daughter's success. I am also a teacher and feel that the comments made by this government are not only destroying the moral of our children by using terms such as "failing schools" but are also destroying the moral of teachers who now have the job of trying to raise the self-esteem of students who now feel that they have failed- well done”
by seen it coming, Plymouth
Thursday, June 12 2008, 1:01PM
“I have a teenager at Tamarside who is doing quite well.This is down TEACHERS.The ones i have met are mostly positive, enthusiastic and encouraging, the same cannot be said for the PRINCIPAL, i have found him rude, his communication skills are at best pants.
He is supposed to be an example at the helm, when mostly he passes the buck. He Must have a GSE A* in excuses.
I asked him at his last open day for new year 7's, why the exam results we're not in the prospectus, as they were in other schools. I was fobbed off.
I have lots more examples,comment box just not big enough.
I have heard many stories about a change of name for the school, also the school day AGAIN is changing it's hours. Is this coming out of the school budget?
A word of advice Mr Ballance, when you first arrived at Tamarside your actions were positive and tough, hiding in hedges tackling truancy.
Use this to your advantage get back on ground level with the students/teachers in helping them sort there grades.”
by Concerned, Plymouth
Wednesday, June 11 2008, 8:37PM
“Can I ask why there are not hundreds of comments by the concerned parents of the so called failing schools? If this is true why are they not supporting it? I can tell you why, it is because a vast majority of parents are not helping their children develop at home and they are to blame for a lot of the under achieving students. How can some students entering secondary schools in Plymouth not read or write? Why are there young people out on the streets at night, some as young as 7 or 8? Why are parents letting their sons and daughters getting tattoos as young as 14? How can a child be truly educated with 80% attendance i.e. 1 year off in the 5 years of secondary education? How can a child develop in a house where 3-4 children share a room? If people in government want to label the schools as failing then I label the government as failing because not enough is being done outside of the school grounds to help these young people get on the right path.”
by Molly, Sutton
Wednesday, June 11 2008, 7:05PM
“Close the 3 grammar schools and the public school and spread the bright and rich kids throughout the community schools and colleges to bring drive and enthusiasm back. make the rich and powerful parents use their clout to bring the whole set of schools up to a high standard.”
by alison, plymouth
Wednesday, June 11 2008, 6:07PM
“i think it is wrong because lipson community college is a great school specializing in performing arts. The goverment havent taken much notice on the teaching and learning, just the exam results. Lipson cchave amazing facilities, loads of awards and much more that the mps havent bothered to look at.”
by lorna, plymouth
Wednesday, June 11 2008, 5:50PM
“i think the government should keep their beaks out of what grades us students at school are getting and keep it in running the country.they have no idea of the backgrounds of most of us students.”