Behind the Ratings: Maintained schools vs academies

The announcement that all maintained schools must have plans in place by 2020 to convert to academy status has put the performance of academies and their governing organisations under the spotlight, particularly when it comes to disadvantaged pupils.

Evidence on the performance of academies compared with local authority-maintained schools is mixed and difficult to unpick, with most research focusing on secondary provision.

While becoming an academy has transformed the fortunes of some failing schools, there are concerns many academies may not be aiding vulnerable students to achieve.

Inspection ratings are one measure of overall success. The most up-to-date Ofsted figures published in April show 86 per cent of all local authority-maintained schools, primary and secondary, were rated “good” or “outstanding” as of December 2015. This compares with 81 per cent of all academies.

However, there is a significant difference in performance between types of academies. While 89 per cent of converter academies – high-performing schools that have converted to academy status – were rated good or outstanding, this fell to just 57 per cent of sponsor-led academies – mostly under-performing schools that have sponsors such as businesses and charities.

Academies continue to do better than maintained schools at secondary level although the gap has narrowed. As of December 2015, 78 per cent of secondary academies were rated good or outstanding compared with 72 per cent of maintained schools (see graphic).






Meanwhile, maintained primaries had nudged in front of primary academies with 86 per cent of maintained schools rated good or better compared with 85 per cent of academies (see graphic).

However, Ofsted notes the increase in performance in maintained primary and secondary schools is due partly to some weaker schools leaving local authority control with many reopening as sponsor-led academies.

More struggling schools are converting to academies, which will inevitably influence the overall picture of performance among academies in the short-term. Nevertheless, there is evidence of a decline in performance among once-thriving academy schools.

Ofsted’s annual report for 2014/15 highlights the positive impact sponsor-led academies had on standards in secondary schools, especially in the first few years after opening, but while many “continue to perform well…some have declined”, says the report.

Attainment levels – in terms of pupils achieving five GCSEs grade A-C – are higher in good and outstanding schools that converted to academies than in good and outstanding schools that are council-maintained, says the report. However, in 2014/15, 99 converter academies declined from good or outstanding to less than good.

Commenting on the trend, Ofsted’s chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw warns structural reform “can only do so much”, highlighting the need for “good leaders and teachers, effective oversight and governance, and a concerted effort to support the most disadvantaged”.

For many academies, leadership and direction comes from a multi-academy trust (MAT) an overarching governing body responsible for a number of academies in a group or chain.

Out of 277 standalone converter academies inspected in 2014/15, a quarter declined compared with a fifth of the 150 converter academies in a MAT. Also, sponsor-led MATs have tended to do worse in Ofsted inspections (see graphic). Wilshaw highlighted huge variation in performance in MATs in his recent letter to Education Secretary Nicky Morgan following Ofsted’s targeted inspection of struggling academy groups. While he was clear there were some “excellent MATs that have made remarkable progress” he also found some “manifested the same weaknesses as the worst-performing local authorities and offered the same excuses”.

In terms of the impact that school status has on outcomes for pupils, the Chain Effects 2015 report published by the Sutton Trust, which looked at the impact of academy chains on low-income students, found “very significant variation in outcomes for disadvantaged pupils both between and within chains”.

The report states: “Some chains continue to achieve impressive outcomes for their disadvantaged students against a range of measures. However, a larger group of low-performing chains are achieving results that are not improving and may be harming the prospects of disadvantaged students.”

It found the gap between the best and worst chains increased in 2014 with the majority it looked at achieving below the average results for disadvantaged pupils across all schools.

Ofsted also looked at school improvement arrangements in local authorities and a number of MATs in 2014/15.

It found the most effective MATs knew their schools well and kept a close eye on the impact of improvement work. Successful MATs had developed “highly productive” links with local authorities while a common issue among weaker MATs and councils was that they did not make the most of “school-to-school support”.

Using these inspection findings to identify the strengths and weaknesses of academies and MATs should help maintained schools prepare for conversion in the future.


Pastoral support overcomes disadvantage

Ark Atwood Primary Academy, London, Outstanding, July 2013

Ark Atwood Primary Academy opened in September 2011, and within two years Ofsted rated it “outstanding” across the board.

The school, located near Paddington, has a high proportion of pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds and higher than average proportion of children eligible for pupil premium funding.

Inspectors highlighted the school’s “unrelenting and successful focus on raising pupils’ achievement” and found all pupils made excellent progress.

Tailored support for those with special educational needs and disabilities meant these children made at least the same or – in some cases – better progress than their peers.

Ensuring disadvantaged pupils prosper starts with the mindset that they can achieve, according to head teacher Daniel Upfield.

“Everybody at Ark Atwood – whether staff or governors – accepts responsibility for pupils who might be recognised as disadvantaged with a shared commitment to ensuring all their pastoral, social and academic needs are met,” he explains.

“Irrespective of any disadvantage a child may have our role is to ensure they fulfil their potential and it has to start from the premise of not using it as an excuse for low attainment and low expectation.”

Ofsted noted the school used pupil premium money “extremely well” to provide extra support from teaching assistants, additional learning and confidence-building activities for pupils and to subsidise attendance at the school’s breakfast club for some children.

Inspectors also praised the school’s use of data to monitor pupils’ progress and target support to those falling behind and it is this “incredibly careful tracking” of pupils’ performance that is key, according to Upfield.

Early intervention is vital, he stresses, which is why the school screens all pupils’ language development when they first start.

“Screening all the pupils is a significant cost and staffing allocation but for the needs of the pupils it is something that is crucial,” says Upfield.

Any child with language delay will embark on a Talk Boost programme that runs throughout reception year.

The school operates a longer than normal school day from 8.30am to 4pm. “Having that extra time makes a huge difference,” says Upfield.

“It allows us to spend a really good amount of time on the basics and making sure children have high standards in English and maths but it also means we’re able to offer a broad curriculum so children have the chance to do art, drama, music and sports.”

While children do get short bursts of one-to-one support where needed, the emphasis is very much on ensuring they benefit from high-quality teaching in the classroom.

This means investing in teaching staff, who benefit from weekly coaching sessions.

“We do a lot of work on the development of our teachers,” says Upfield. “You can have specialist interventions and support programmes but ultimately what happens in the classroom every day is going to make the biggest difference.”

The school is a member of the Ark schools chain. Inspectors found Ark Schools provided “excellent support and challenge” to the academy.
 
The school has also made use of Westminster Council’s services including support for newly qualified teachers and for attendance issues.