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Action zones do not make much impact, says Ofsted
Flagship initiative fails to raise standards, watchdog warns
Guardian Unlimited Education
The government was yesterday warned by its schools watchdog that Education Action Zones, one of its flagship initiatives, have not been sufficiently innovative and have failed to make any significant impact on raising standards in secondary schools. Inspection by the office for standards in education (Ofsted) of six of the longest-established zones, set up by the government to raise standards in disadvantaged areas through local partnerships, found "a mixed picture" overall, with too much variability in effectiveness and impact.
The warning came as the education and employment secretary, David Blunkett, promised to increase schools' freedom as part of new-style partnerships between central government and local education authorities.
In an article in the Guardian today, he writes: "The fundamental premise, as made clear in 1997, has always been 'intervention in inverse proportion to success'. Now that we have much greater success and a more positive culture we can develop ... a new sense of partnership. The foundations are in place for the next stage of reform."
He calls for a "new partnership" between government and local authorities and pledges to "enhance autonomy" for successful schools.
A commentary by Ofsted on the inspections of zones in Blackburn, Halifax, Birmingham, Southwark, Salford and Weston-super-Mare, published yesterday, found they had a greater impact in primary schools than secondary. Apart from small-scale activities reducing pupils' disaffection, the zones have had "no significant impact" on standards in secondary schools. The inspectors add that they have not been "test-beds for genuinely innovative action".
The zones allow local partnerships to develop new approaches to raising standards, involving schools, local education authorities, parents, business and other representatives from the community. Each zone typically includes two or three secondary schools with supporting primaries. Private sector cash is then met by government funding.
Estelle Morris, the school standards minister, said: "These inspections show Education Action Zones are helping to drive up standards. I want to thank zones for the good work they are doing, particularly in primary schools. I know some took time to get going, but Ofsted now believes they are making useful contributions to raising standards."
In a speech to the Adam Smith Insitute tonight, Mr Blunkett will refer to a Mori poll of head teachers, commissioned by the government, which appears to show little popularity for Tory plans to abolish LEAs. Asked "What do you think should be the future role of LEAs?", 5% of head teachers said they should be abolished. Some 24% said they should remain as they are. But 27% said they should "improve with greater delegation" and 44% said they should "improve generally".
Mr Blunkett will call for a "new relationship" between the state and the individual. "Government should be there to support and encourage people to help themselves but not to attempt to do everything for them."
Meanwhile, government plans to turn nearly half of all England's comprehensives into specialist schools was given a boost by research showing their pupils got better grades. David Jesson of York University analysed GCSE results at specialist schools last year and found that, on average, 53% of pupils got five A* to C-grade passes. By contrast, ordinary comprehensives saw an average of 43% get five such passes.
• Two of the largest teaching unions will today announce a new alliance. The Association of University Teachers, representing 40,000 members, and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, representing 160,000, will work jointly on education policy, responses to government policy and services for members.