Birmingham’s grammar school heads could take over failing comprehensives under plans unveiled by Schools Secretary Ed Balls.
The Government ordered local councils to draw up action plans explaining how they will turn around poor schools by 2011. In Birmingham, 27 of 75 secondary schools are failing.
The Government has set out a range of options which councils could consider to turn schools around, including making them part of a foundation with a more successful school, under a single governing body and an “executive head teacher”.
Launching the proposals in London, Mr Balls said: “It may be grammar schools that form these foundations. It would be very encouraging if grammar school heads and governing bodies want to play a role with other schools in their area.
“It would have a positive impact on both schools in that partnership.”
He highlighted Birmingham and Lincolnshire as education authorities with successful grammars as well as struggling schools. Other options include turning a failing school into a trust, which would be managed partly by a business or a university, or replacing the governing body with managers appointed by the council, effectively allowing education authorities to take over.
Mr Balls called on councils to consider replacing failing schools with academies, managed by private organisations – or simply closing them, and allowing more successful schools to expand. The Schools Secretary announced £400 million would be available for councils and schools, to pay for one-to-one tuition in English and maths for struggling pupils, and to appoint new education authority staff dedicated to improving standards in the worst schools.
He avoided describing any school as failing, referring instead to “National Challenge” schools.
These are schools in which fewer than 30 per cent of pupils achieve at least five GCSEs at grades C or above, including maths and English.
The Government’s target is to ensure every school achieves this by 2011.
In the West Midlands, there are 89 “National Challenge” schools, 25 per cent of secondary schools.
This gives the region a worse education record than the national average. Across Britain, 21 per cent of schools are failing to meet the Government’s target.
However, Birmingham, where 36 per cent of schools fail to meet the standard, is more successful than Liverpool, Newcastle or Manchester, where 57 per cent are failing.
Mr Balls ordered councils to draw up an action plan for every affected school before the summer holidays next month.
They must include predicted exam results for hree years, and details of how the school will meet the target by 2011. He announced the creation of a national panel of experts to advise the Government on meeting the National Challenge, including former West Midlands teacher Sir Geoff Hampton.
Sir Geoff received a knighthood in 1998 for his achievements as head teacher of Northicote School, Wolverhampton. He is a professor at Wolverhampton University.
The panel, chaired by Sir Mike Tomlinson, former Chief Inspector of Schools, will also include David Brown, Director of Children’s Services at Walsall Council.
Mr Balls said: “Of course National Challenge Schools face real difficulties but no child and no school is on a pre-determined path to low results.
“There are many schools in communities of high unemployment and low aspirations where children achieve excellent GCSE results.
“For each National Challenge school, another school facing similar problems has turned itself around.”
But teachers said the plan must not set out to “name and shame” schools doing their best in tough areas.
