Underperforming schools in England are set to receive extra support under Government plans to raise standards in classrooms across the country.

Following a pledge by the Secretary of State to simplify the school accountability system, giving teachers freedom to get on with their job without interference, Schools Minister Lord Agnew has today (9 November) set out how the department will support schools that are underperforming and how they will be identified.

From today, the following measures will be used to identify schools that need additional support. They include:

• the floor and coasting standards being used as ways to identify schools that need help, rather than as triggers for intervention ahead of an academy conversion;
• where a school is struggling it will receive support from a high-performing school leader, as well as access to up to £16,000 for the small number of schools judged as ‘Requires Improvement’ in their last two Ofsted inspections; and
• the ‘coasting’ measure will no longer be used as the starting point of a formal intervention – this was a key pledge by the Education Secretary during a speech to school leaders earlier this year.

Regional Schools Commissioners will no longer issue warning notices to schools on educational grounds unless they have been rated inadequate by Ofsted.

Today’s changes come ahead of a formal consultation in the New Year looking at whether the floor and coasting standards used to judge school performance should be replaced by a single measure.

Minister for the School System, Lord Agnew, said:

Standards in our schools have risen, with the proportion of pupils in good or outstanding schools up from 66% in 2010 to 86% in 2018.

Today’s changes will simplify the school accountability system so teachers and school leaders know where they stand and simplify a system that we know can be a concern amongst the profession.

Where a school is struggling, we will aim to take swift action, providing practical hands on support and, where necessary, more formal steps.

The support that we are offering will be focused around delivering support that can be embedded into a school’s teaching programme for the long term.

The changes confirmed today will make the school system easier for school leaders and parents to understand.

Schools that meet the criteria for extra support will be able to do so in two ways:

• Up to three days’ support from a designated National Leader of Education (NLE) who will work with the senior leadership of the school or trust to identify their specific needs and ways these can be addressed through DfE funded programmes; and
• For those also judged as ‘Requires Improvement’ in their last two Ofsted inspections, an additional offer of up to £16,000 that can be put towards the costs of implementing the activity agreed between the NLE and school.

Paul Whiteman, General Secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), said:

Today’s announcement is a welcome clarification of the promises made by the Secretary of State at our annual conference in May this year. It also marks a significant point in the ongoing work between NAHT and the DfE to address some of the big concerns of school leaders.

Accountability is obviously a key concern, and today’s announcement clears up some of the confusion regarding the roles of Ofsted and RSCs, as well as providing much needed reassurance that schools seeking to improve will receive support rather than sanction. This is an important step forward, and consistent with the findings of our Improving School Accountability report which was published in September.

Richard Gill, National Leader of Education and Member of the Teaching Schools Council, said:

This programme of support, coordinated by the Teaching Schools Council, will ensure that there is greater collaboration across our regions with the aim of providing bespoke support where needed, ensuring that more children and young people can attend a great school.

This will also support the self-improving system which relies on effective leaders working beyond their own schools to make improvements to the wider school landscape.

Today’s announcements follow the Education Secretary’s commitment with teaching unions and Ofsted to strip away unnecessary workload for teachers, and are part of a drive led by the Education Secretary to trust the best school leaders to make decisions in their staff and pupils’ best interest.

Local business and council leaders across the Midlands will receive up to £1.5 million to pioneer cutting-edge technology to identify the best investment and regeneration opportunities across the area.

The Midlands Engine Partnership, in collaboration with the Geospatial Commission, will use the funding to develop a digital map of the region combining vast amounts of existing public and private sector data linked to location – covering infrastructure, local services, housing and other developments.

Bringing this information about the Midlands together in one place for the first time will allow for better, faster and more informed decisions around health, education, housing, trade and tourism.

The move will help create jobs, benefit the local economy and increase productivity. For example, land earmarked for housebuilding could be identified by other sectors as an opportunity to invest in developing nearby public assets, such as a school or office complex, as well as installing next-generation technologies, such as 5G connectivity.

On a visit to Derby, the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, Robert Jenrick, said:

In last week’s Budget, the Chancellor pledged to fuel the Midlands Engine and back the region’s growth and today we are building on that.

By opening up this valuable data to both investors and developers we will create greater opportunities across the Midlands in vital areas like housebuilding.

Through the harnessing of this data, we are encouraging both public and private sectors to work in smarter, more joined-up ways that will create jobs, boost productivity and grow the economy here in Derby and across the Midlands.

The work is part of the government’s drive to maximise the value of data linked to locations, which could generate £11 billion a year. The work is led by the Geospatial Commission and was announced by the Chancellor in November 2017.

Cabinet Office Minister for Implementation, Oliver Dowden MP, said:

This project will further cement the UK’s place as a geospatial world leader, once again showing our commitment to providing more opportunities for tech companies to flourish, including small businesses.

Technology using this location data is revolutionising our economy. From navigating public transport to tracking supply chains and planning efficient delivery routes, these digital services are set to become part of everyday life and business in the Midlands.

Midlands Engine Chairman Sir John Peace said:

This really is great news for everyone in the Midlands Engine Partnership. This will fund an invaluable one-stop digital map for local authorities that will allow them to work much faster and more efficiently.

At the Midlands Engine we have committed to supporting the build of 600,000 new homes in the next 15 years. This is an ambitious target and the tool will support local authorities by giving them the information that they need to identify suitable development sites and work in a more joined-up way.

The mapping tool will also allow faster and more informed decisions with ready access to maps of utilities, surgeries and educational establishments.

Further information

• The Chancellor announced in November 2017 a new Geospatial Commission to maximise the value of all UK government data linked to location, and to create jobs and growth in a modern economy.

• Funding from the Geospatial Commission is subject to business case approval, and will cover initial start up costs and the first year of operation, with a view to the map becoming self-sustaining after this point

• A similar initiative was recently undertaken by Greater Manchester Combined Authority, which developed a digital map of assets and investment. It is estimated that the map saves planners and developers between one and three hours every time it is used. See the Greater Manchester Open Data Infrastructure Map online.

• Through the Midlands Engine Strategy, the government has set out its commitment to making the Midlands an even better place to live, work, study and do business. The strategy, launched last year, includes £20 million for the Midlands Skills Challenge to make sure that everyone across the region is equipped with the skills they need to thrive, as well as £4 million to support the Midlands Engine Partnership.

• The government is also backing the Midlands through investment in vital transport links, such as HS2 which will include a new East Midlands station between Nottingham and Derby.

• Last year, the West Midlands Combined Mayoral Authority received £250 million as part of the Transforming Cities Fund towards upgrading transport infrastructure. At the Budget, this fund was extended to 22/23, providing a further £71.5 million for the West Midlands. The Derby and Nottingham city region, Leicester and Stoke-on-Trent were recently shortlisted for a share of the £1.3 billion competitive element of the fund.