New '˜coasting' school figures highlight North-South divide

MPs have renewed calls for the Prime Minister to tackle the North-South education divide, as figures reveal Yorkshire is home to the country's highest proportion of 'coasting' schools.
Early figures show a high number of coasting schools in the Yorkshire regionEarly figures show a high number of coasting schools in the Yorkshire region
Early figures show a high number of coasting schools in the Yorkshire region

Provisional figures from the Department for Education show that between 16.4 and 16.8 per cent of secondary schools in the Yorkshire region are “coasting”, compared to just five per cent in parts of London.

The release of the figures follow calls from the head of Ofsted for Ministers to do more to address the “growing divide” in the performance of secondary schools in the North.

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His call has now been taken up by Labour and Lib Dem MPs, who described the results as a “damning indictment” of the Government’s record in education.

“A North-South divide is emerging in education as the Government tries to turn back the clock with new grammar schools,” said Labour shadow minister Angela Eagle.

“Increased levels of deprivation are obviously part of the explanation, but problems with teacher recruitment and retention, growing class sizes and cuts in funding are also hitting the North of England disproportionately and threatening school standards.

“If the Northern Powerhouse is to be more than just an empty slogan, the Government needs to invest in the North and its future. Every child deserves the chance to fulfil their potential.”

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The Government announced plans to introduce a new category of “coasting” schools last year.

The proposals would allow commissioners to intervene in schools that failed to meet targets three years in a row, potentially leading to academisation.

This week, the DfE published its estimate of how many schools in England will fall under this new classification.

The final numbers will not be confirmed until January, but the provisional figures reveal a stark contrast between school regions in the North and South.

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In the East Midlands and Humber area, for example, 16.4 per cent of its 354 schools are believed to be coasting.

In the Lancashire and West Yorkshire area, the figure is slightly higher at 16.8 per cent.

But in the North East London and the East area the DfE estimate just five per cent of its 342 schools are coasting.

And in North West London and South Central the proportion is 6.9 per cent.

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In September, Ofsted’s Chief Inspector of Schools Sir Michael Wilshaw warned of a “growing divide” between educational performance in the North and South.

He claimed that the North “is being neglected” and urged the Government to tackle “regional variations which are dragging us down.

As reported in The Yorkshire Post, he also advised Ministers not to get distracted by grammar schools policy.

He told the Government to “focus on those parts of the country which are languishing... not get involved with grammar schools.”

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Responding to the new figures, Lib Dem education spokesman John Pugh described them as a “damning indictment” of the Government’s record in education.

He said Ministers “are failing the North” and “don’t seem to care”. He told The Yorkshire Post: “All the Tories seem to care about is tinkering with the system. They should let teachers teach.”

Schools Minister Nick Gibb said the policy is “about ensuring struggling schools have the support they need”.

“It is crucial we identify schools that are not doing enough to help pupils fulfil their potential,” he said.

Comment: Page 14.