Are academies really a success?
The new independent state secondaries recorded below-average GCSE improvements in 2005 under a new government rankings which emphasises the core subjects of English and maths. Separate figures show that only one in nine academy pupils achieved at least a C in English, maths and science last year. Only 5 per cent achieved at least C in geography, and 5 per cent in history….
THE FACTS BEHIND THE POLITICAL PRAISE
Tony Blair January 23, 2006"Academies are replacing some of the most difficult and failed schools in the entire country. The proportion now getting five good GCSEs, including GNVQs, at city academies is 35 per cent compared with 21 per cent in their predecessor schools and that is literally within just a couple of years. This reform (the education white paper) is based on what works," In fact ... In 2005, 16 per cent of the 2,086 academy pupils achieved five good GCSEs or equivalent, including English and maths, the Government's new measure of performance. That compared with 13 per cent in the schools they replaced, a rise of 3 percentage points. Only 18.8 per cent of academy pupils gained five A*-C GCSEs, excluding GNVQs, compared with 17.2 per cent in their predecessor schools' final years, an improvement of just 1.6 percentage points.
Tony Blair October 2005"We have seen academies - still relatively new independent state schools - improving this year at more than three times the national average." In fact ...The increase in the proportion of academy pupils achieving five or more GCSEs, including English and maths, was 1.3 points. The national average rise was 1.7 points.
Jacqui Smith, Schools minister, February 15, 2006"Of the 14 academies open at the time of the last round of GCSEs, all but two showed an increase in the proportion of students achieving five grades A* to C relative to their predecessor schools." In fact ...Only nine of 14 academies improved on the performance of the schools they replaced using the old GCSE measure.
Jacqui Smith August 25, 2005"The majority of academies have shown good progress in their GCSE results. Ten out of 14 taking the exams this summer are reporting rises in the number of students gaining five good grades. In fact ...On the new measure eight academies improved, five went down and one stayed the same.
Jacqui Smith August 25, 2005" Greig City academy is reporting a 27 point rise in the numbers gaining five good grades from 25 per cent last year to 52 per cent." In fact ...Only 13 per cent of Greig academy students achieved five good GCSEs, excluding GNVQs, in any subject and just 10 per cent made the new five good GCSE benchmark. On the latter benchmark the academy's performance was barely half the 19 per cent scored at St David and St Katherine CE, its predecessor school in 2002, its final year.
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