Half of Liverpool's high schools face Gordon Brown axe

Nov 4 2007

A STAGGERING 47 schools in Merseyside and Cheshire would be threatened with closure by Gordon Brown, based on most recent GCSE performance figures.

In a key speech on education this week, the Prime Minister said 30% of pupils at every secondary school must achieve five high grade GCSEs, including English and maths, within five years.

Any school failing that test by 2013 should be closed or taken over by another school – possibly from the private sector.

According to the Government, there are 670 schools which fail to achieve the 30% mark – including no fewer than 47 in Merseyside and North Cheshire.

However, the Government was only able to provide figures for 2006 GCSE results and all local education authorities (LEAs) – except Cheshire – have yet to publish them for 2007.

That means some of the 47 schools on this list may have already risen above the 30% mark – and out of the danger zone.

Nearly one third of the schools falling short in 2006 were in Liverpool (15) followed by Sefton (8), Knowsley (7) and Wirral (6).

That would account for half of Liverpool’s 30 secondary schools.

In his speech, Mr Brown said: “This is a determined and systematic agenda to end failure. We will see it through. We will not flinch from the task.”

LEAs were urged to use their powers to intervene, by imposing interim management boards or converting failing schools to privately-sponsored academies.

The tough new minimum standards flow from the government’s requirement that pupils must now include GCSEs in the key subjects – English and maths.

The number of schools nationwide failing the old test – 30% of children getting five A*-C grades at any GCSE subject – has plummeted from more than 600 in 1997 to just 26 now.

Mr Brown, who set out plans to eradicate illiteracy and for heads to give more feedback to parents, said schools would face annual improvement targets.

He called for a “culture change” to create an atmosphere in schools where all children, regardless of their background, were expected to do well and go to university.

Summing up his aims, the Prime Minister said: “It’s no longer acceptable for any school to fail its pupils, no longer acceptable for young people to drop out of education without good qualifications without us acting.”

But the National Union of Teachers warned that closure threats could undermine efforts to recruit teachers to work in the toughest schools.

Steve Sinnott, the union’s general secretary, said: “Arbitrary targets accompanied by threats of school closure demoralise, not motivate.”

Julie Lyons-taylor, NUT representatove for Liverpool, said: “Threatening schools is not the way to force them to improve, and if fifteen schools in Liverpool were to close, where would the pupils go?

“Time and time again parent income has been proven to be a major factor in children’s performance. Just because exam results are not in the top level does not mean it is a good school.”

Gordon Brown was also attacked last night by Cllr Paul Clein, Liverpool’s Liberal Democrat executive member for children’s services.

“The Labour government’s one-size fits all approach to schools is completely mad.

“One of the schools that would close if Mr Brown’s rule was applied today has just had one of the finest Ofsted reports I have ever had.

“It is suburb, and a tribute to the staff and pupils, yet if Gordon Brown had his way it would close.

“This obsession by the government with education quangos and statistics is driving away some of our best officers.

“Some of left because of the strain of the job they are being asked to do.

“It ignores the amazing progress we have made.

“When my party took over (from Labour) we had 18 schools in special measures and 17 one step away from that with serious weaknesses.

“Now we have no schools in special measures and just two schools about to emerge from serious weakness category.

“To me that is a tremendous progress in our education system.

“My message to the Prime Minister is to look at the context of individual areas, taking into account local levels of deprivation.

“One of our schools that would be threatened by Labour’s crazy policy has almost half of the pupils officially requiring special educational needs. For them getting one A grade would be a triumph and we should encourage them for the progress they are making. I find this latest attack depressing.

“A few years ago our education system was one from the bottom of eight core cities, now it is the top. My own fear is that the Labour government is hell bent on removing any involvement in our schools by local authorities.”

And Tory children’s spokesman Michael Gove, said: “Gordon Brown’s promise of a crackdown on failing schools is unfortunately no more believable than his promises of a crackdown on illegal immigration.”