Civitas challenges claims on academy improvement rates
Joe Lepper
Friday, July 2, 2010
Government claims that academies are "improving at twice the rate of mainstream schools" have been called into question by the think-tank Civitas.
It has tabled a number of parliamentary questions that suggest that improved results in academies could be through their selection of more non-GCSE equivalent subjects than mainstream schools rather than genuine improvement.
Civitas says that the proportion of academies’ A*-C grades in non-GCSE equivalent, vocational subjects is twice the rate of mainstream schools.
In mainstream schools the proportion of A*-C grades in academic GCSE subjects is 73 per cent, while in academies it is just 49 per cent.
Civitas calls this a "flawed system of equivalence". In a statement it added: "This is concerning because equivalent qualifications at GCSE are of extremely questionable value: neither academic nor vocational. The ultimate concern is that the already deprived are being deprived of academic learning and that, unchecked, this is set to continue much further."
Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, says these latest figures are not a surprise. "It begs the question why the government is persisting with hoodwinking the country into believing that academies are the best route to improving education," she added.
"It is time to drop the programme and concentrate on achieving a good local school for every child, operating under the umbrella of the local authority family of schools."
A Department for Education spokesman said: "A lot of these academies were taking over under-performing schools where the attainment level was at a very low base. There have been improvements as reflected in the GCSE and equivalent results, and academies are also three times more likely to be rated as outstanding by Ofsted."
Civitas says that the proportion of academies’ A*-C grades in non-GCSE equivalent, vocational subjects is twice the rate of mainstream schools.
In mainstream schools the proportion of A*-C grades in academic GCSE subjects is 73 per cent, while in academies it is just 49 per cent.
Civitas calls this a "flawed system of equivalence". In a statement it added: "This is concerning because equivalent qualifications at GCSE are of extremely questionable value: neither academic nor vocational. The ultimate concern is that the already deprived are being deprived of academic learning and that, unchecked, this is set to continue much further."
Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, says these latest figures are not a surprise. "It begs the question why the government is persisting with hoodwinking the country into believing that academies are the best route to improving education," she added.
"It is time to drop the programme and concentrate on achieving a good local school for every child, operating under the umbrella of the local authority family of schools."
A Department for Education spokesman said: "A lot of these academies were taking over under-performing schools where the attainment level was at a very low base. There have been improvements as reflected in the GCSE and equivalent results, and academies are also three times more likely to be rated as outstanding by Ofsted."
