Balls criticises school improvement in letter to councils

Department for Schools, Children and Families officials have highlighted 37 schools in 32 council areas where they believe progress to improve schools is too slow.

In the letter Balls reminds the councils that they have a number of powers within the National Challenge programme to intervene, such as issuing warning notices to schools.

He says in the letter: "Issuing a warning notice is a mechanism to set out formally the local authority's concern and by requiring a response from the school, provides it with an opportunity to demonstrate that it can in fact make the necessary improvements.

"If the school is not able to do this, the local authority then has a clear basis for action and can instigate formal intervention if appropriate."

The letter also urges councils to consider replacing failing schools with academies and reminds them that funding is available for councils to follow this path.

Teaching union NASUWT has criticised the letter. Its general secretary Chris Keates said: "A more sophisticated response to schools struggling to improve is needed than simply threatening them with structural change or closure."

Meanwhile, the government is due to announce plans in the Queen's Speech today for an education bill to give parents and councils greater powers to intervene when schools fail.

As part of this parents will be surveyed about local schools annually and councils will be forced to address any concerns raised. All academies will be guaranteed charitable status as well in the proposed bill.