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Cllr Ursula Woolley |
Under-threat school fails to make minister’s target
Academy future looms after pupils’ GCSE pass rate falls further
POOR GCSE results have plunged a “failing” community school nearer to closure raising fears it will soon be transformed into a city academy.
Education minister Ed Balls warned Holloway School headteacher Bob Hamlyn in June it would become an academy in 2011 if average A*-C grades, including English and maths, did not rise above a 30 per cent benchmark.
Highbury Grove and Islington Arts and Media School – also on the minister’s “death list” – rose narrowly above 30 per cent last week.
But Holloway dropped further down the rankings, with average grades falling to 24.5 per cent.
A Holloway teacher, who did not want to be named, said: “We are really frightened because we were expecting to get above the 30 per cent. I know they have said we have until 2011 before the school is closed, but there is nothing to say it cannot happen before then.”
Responding defiantly to Mr Balls’ shock announcement in June, Mr Hamlyn said: “We know there is a lot to do, but if exam predictions are right these schools will be off this government list in any case after this summer.”
Islington’s schools chief Councillor Ursula Woolley said: “Holloway was the only school in the borough which didn’t reach the government’s target of 30 per cent A*-C grades including English and maths and I know they were disappointed about that.
“The school has done some internal restructuring to deal with any problems, particularly with maths. In other GCSEs grade A*-C, Holloway school has made considerable progress, climbing from 41 per cent to 50 per cent and I am confident that the school are safely on the right track.”
Islington Green, which becomes an academy next week, saw its average GCSE grades drop from 34 per cent to 32 per cent – bringing the total number of Islington schools threatened with closure under the government’s academy plan to four.
Academy schools are taken out of the control of the local authority and run by private sponsors in return for a £30million new building, paid for by central government. Critics of the flagship New Labour policy argue the shiny new schools are creating a two-tier education system.
London Regional Secretary of the National Union of Teachers Tim Harrison said: “Holloway School has always been a challenging school – especially because it has recently become mixed. The teachers are committed to improving results. Morale of teachers will be undermined with the threat of an academy.”
Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate Bridget Fox said: “What makes a good school is having motivated staff, pupils and parents – a good quality school environment and teaching resources, and an ethos that’s about learning and achievement for all.
“Academies have new buildings, staff and pupils who’ve chosen to be there, and extra money – so no surprise if they outperform schools in shabbier surroundings with a captive catchment.
“Schools and LEAs should be left alone to concentrate on continuing to deliver improvements for local children and families – as they are doing in Islington.”
Percentage of students achieving five or more passes at grades A*-C, including English and mathematics.
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GCSE RESULTS |
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| School |
2007 |
2008 |
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| Central Foundation... |
48 |
49.2 |
| EGA... |
43 |
43.0 |
| Highbury Fields... |
45 |
40.5 |
| Highbury Grove... |
25 |
32.3 |
| Holloway... |
27 |
24.5 |
| IAMS... |
27 |
30.3 |
| Islington Green... |
34 |
32.0 |
| Mount Carmel... |
48 |
43.9 |
| St Aloysius... |
46 |
54.6 |
| All Islington... |
37.4 |
38.2 |
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