'Coasting schools' criteria announced

Speaking to the BBC, Nicky Morgan provided more details on the term that was first introduced in the Queen’s speech on 27 May and warned that she plans to ‘shine a light on complacency’. Morgan stressed that school’s will be judged on the progress of pupils, and even school’s rated as ‘good’ by Ofsted could face intervention if they fail to demonstrate adequate progress under new guidelines.

School’s will be judged over three years, with Primary school’s expected to ensure 85 per cent of 11 year olds achieve a level 4 in reading, writing and maths.

On top of the 60 per cent pass rate for GCSEs, Morgan explained the new ‘Progress 8’ accountability measure for secondary school’s, which is designed to show a child’s progress from primary to secondary education. If a secondary school fails to perform well enough under this new measure, they will be classed as coasting.

Schools classed as coasting will be given assistance by government teams and required to produce a ‘credible plan to improve’. If they fail to improve or demonstrate a clear plan for improvement, then they face government intervention, which will result in academy conversion.

Morgan also noted that these new measures would not just target disadvantaged areas, but also what she categorises as ‘leafy areas’, which have often gone under the radar.

The national union of teachers (NUT) have been critical of the new plans for ‘coasting schools’ and claim that the definition “shows a real incoherence in Government policy”. Kevin Courtney, Deputy General Secretary of the NUT, said: “Nicky Morgan says that coasting schools will ultimately be transformed into academies, but by her own definition very many academy schools will also be coasting.

“Schools are already under enormous pressure to placate the whims of Government and Ofsted. Today’s arbitrary target will only serve to sharpen teaching to the test and a concentration on borderline students. This already results in a narrowed curriculum and, for many pupils, disengagement.”

He added: “Government needs to have a serious conversation with parents and the profession about what is best for pupils. An obsession with floor targets, league tables and Ofsted loses sight of the child. The NUT does not accept that there is an ‘academy effect’ that raises standards in schools. Indeed, there is a mountain of evidence and over 100 ‘failing’ academies which suggest otherwise.”

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