Over a million children taught in failing schools

The National Audit Office has concluded that around one million children are being taught in poorly performing schools.

The public spending watchdog said in a report that 23 per cent of secondary schools and at least four per cent of primaries in England are "poorly performing".

That is despite ministers spending £840m improving struggling schools last year and £160m replacing failing comprehensives with city academies.

However the NAO also said that the number of failing schools halved between 1998 and 2005, and the number of low-achieving secondaries had fallen by 75 per cent.

Of particular concern to the NAO in improving the remainder was the shortage of headteachers.

Stakeholder Response: ATL

 

 

Commenting on the report on failing schools, Dr Mary Bousted, General Secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), said: "The National Audit Office have lumped together a wide range of schools in very differing situations to produce these headlines.