Northern education leaders hit back at Wilshaw claim of ‘miserable’ standards
Northern education leaders have hit back at claims by Sir Michael Wilshaw that academisation has failed to improve “miserable” standards in the region.
The former Ofsted chief inspector was accused of “miserably spreading misery”, and his comments were branded “unhelpful and unnecessary” by the boss of one northern multi-academy trust.
Speaking at the Northern Powerhouse Conference on education and skills in Leeds last Friday, Sir Michael said: “Academisation doesn’t seem to have made much of a difference in the North and the Midlands. Doncaster, where every secondary school is an academy, has a miserable attainment score and progress scores.”
“Practically all the worst performing academy trusts preside in the North and in the Midlands, with a dozen or so so bad that they have effectively been closed down, with their constituent schools handed to other trusts.”
Sir Michael added that successful academy trusts in the South should “come to the North of England” to raise standards.
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