A new report from the Local Government Association has outlined how council-run schools are continuing to outperform ones that have converted to academies.
The report looked into the outcomes of Ofsted inspections and found that 93% of schools that are maintained by council were rated either outstanding or good, as of the end of January this year. In comparison to this, 87% of academies that were graded after conversion, achieved these outcomes.
Other findings of the report, which was conducted by Angel Solutions, were that since August 2018:
- 72% of council-maintained schools retained their outstanding rating, in comparison with 60% of the outstanding academies that were inspected I their current form, instead of simply inheriting grades from their former status.
- 40% of academies without any grade inheritance actually fell by at least one grade, when only 28% of maintained schools did the same.
- Of the schools that were an academy in August 2018, 57% improved to a good or outstanding grade. This is in comparison to 73% of maintained schools from the same starting point.
Using the findings of the analysis as a reminder of the good record of the work that councils can do to improve and maintain education standards, the LGA has stated that this is evidence of why councils should be granted further powers to open new maintained schools. This would be the first time that councils would be able to open a maintained schools, since 2012.
Chair of the LGA’s Children and Young People Board, Cllr Louise Gittins, said:
“Our research is a reminder of the superb performance of council-maintained schools, and yet further evidence of why councils should be allowed to open their own schools again.
Academisation can be the right choice and a good choice for some schools, and we recognise the positive progress schools that became academies have made.
“Councils want to ensure that every child gets the very best education and schooling in life. That is why it is vital they are given a central role in providing education and that government recognises councils as the excellent education partner they are.”
Image credit: iStock
