Struggling Barnet schools told to improve or risk closure

11:20am Tuesday 10th June 2008

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Two Barnet schools have been warned by the Government to improve their exam results or face closure.

The Ravenscroft School, in Barnet Lane, and Whitefield School, in Claremont Road, are among 638 schools across England targeted in a new Government report aimed at helping struggling schools achieve minimum school standards within three years.

Last year less than 30 per cent of pupils at these schools achieved at least five A to C grades at GCSE, including maths and English.

But both Ravenscroft and Whitefield were given outstanding Ofsted reports this year and Barnet councillor Fiona Bulmer, cabinet member for children's services, said they had been unfairly stigmatised.

She said: "This report is a bit of a crude approach.

"These two schools both recently received outstanding verdicts from Ofsted, so they are clearly not failing schools. They have showed continual improvement over the last few years, so we have every faith that they will reach the required standard.

"I welcome the Government's target on standards as it ties in exactly with the council's approach, but I think putting the schools on a list like this is not the right way to go about it.

"The packaging of this initiative has been very unhelpful and doesn't recognise the great improvements these schools have made."

The £400m National Challenge, to be unveiled by Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Ed Balls today, will offer the schools extra funding, expert advice, mentoring from experienced head teachers and assistance from more successful schools.

Barnet has 50 days to produce a rescue plan to improve the schools. If it fails to make adequate progress there is the threat of intervention and possible closure.

Barnet councillor Barry Rawlings, Labour spokesman for education and children, welcomed the report.

He said: "These targets of getting 30 per cent have been known for a number of years, so one has to ask if these schools have been getting enough support from the local authorities.

"This report highlights two things. One, that there are young people who need better resources and help, because if you don't achieve by 15 it is very hard to catch up. Two, that local authorities need to give better support to certain schools that have got a bit stuck.

"This report provides greater focus on schools that need the most help, which is a good thing. It is a warning shot for local authorities."

The improvement plans will also mean the acceleration of the academy programme, with 313 of these independent state schools set to be running by September 2010.