Cllr Anntoinette Bramble, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board, responds to a report from The Education Policy Institute on educational attainment between disadvantaged pupils and their peers.
“Schools that stay under council control deliver better results with 89 per cent of schools having kept their good or outstanding Ofsted rating, compared to 81 per cent of schools which converted to academies.
“Councils have an excellent track record in improving schools, and need to be given the necessary powers to intervene and support all failing schools, including academies.
“Yet all this good work is at risk if all schools aren’t adequately funded, this is why it is essential that the Prime Minister provides sustainable funding during the forthcoming Spending Review, and plugs the funding gap of up to £1.6 billion by 2021 that councils face supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).”
Notes to editors
- There are approximately 22,000 schools in England. 68 per cent of secondary schools and 31 per cent of primary schools are now academies rather than Council-maintained schools.
- Council-maintained schools have the highest percentage of Good or Outstanding schools with 89 per cent, this is 4 per cent higher than academies with 85 per cent Good or Outstanding.
- Councils in England face an overall funding gap of £8 billion by 2025. The LGA’s #CouncilsCan campaign aims to influence the forthcoming Spending Review and highlight the growing risk to vital local services if the Prime Minister does not take action to secure the financial sustainability of councils. Visit our campaign page for more information.