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Failing Primaries to become Academies

failing primaries to become academies

17 June 2011

In a drive to improve standards, Michael Gove announced yesterday that the government would open more sponsored academies, with the weakest 200 primary schools being forced to become academies in the next academic year. All 200 schools identified have been below the “floor standard” for the last five years. Gove also announced that local authorities with particularly large numbers of struggling primaries will be identified for urgent collaboration, affecting an additional 500 schools.

Furthermore, the current average performance will become the new floor for secondaries in an attempt to ensure that all schools have 50% of pupils achieving five good GCSEs by 2015. This will mean that every school as a minimum should be “average” to avoid being placed in special measures.

This move marks a major shift in policy. Never before has “academisation” been used as a means of school improvement specific to the state primary sector.