FOI 20110068819 (October 2011)
Length of the School Day
The Department for Education does not collect institution level data on the length of the school day so it is not possible to calculate the average length of a school day in an Academy compared with other types of schools. However, Academies have always had the freedom to vary the length of their school day and there isevidence to suggest that many Academies have taken advantage of this freedom to provide extra-curricular activities or additional learning. An evaluation of the Academies programme by Price Waterhouse Coopers found that 80% of Academies were providing extended programmes of instruction and support for pupils by extending the number of teaching hours in the week[1]. Here are some specific examples of Academies extending the length of the school day:-
- ARK Academies across England have a longer school day both at primary and secondary level. At secondary level, this provides 31 hours of teaching per week, which allows for targeted catch up where needed as well as wider enrichment, extension and ‘masterclass’ activity - for example achieving the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) as an on-line course in the extended day flexible time.
- At the Milton KeynesAcademy, students have a 30-hour week, with lessons from 8.30am – 3.20pm each day. This gives them five hours of extra learning per week and allows for all students to receive the equivalent of an hour of both literacy and numeracy every day.
- The WestLondonAcademy has extended the school day with an additional four hours teaching time per week.
- The JCBAcademy in Staffordshire has hours that are more like business hours than normal schools and sixth form colleges. The curriculum encourages a structured and effective use of time, meaning that there should be very little – if any – homework in years 10 and 11 (sixth formers will have some homework, but probably less than other schools).
Since the 1st September 2011 the freedom to vary the length of the school day has been extended to local authority maintained schools. In response to this policy change, Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers said that“longer school days can be one of the most powerful ways of bringing about school improvement. …”[2].
Class Sizes
The Department for education publishesaverage class size data in an annual Statistical First Release[3]. Analysis of the institution level data underpinning this publication is attached in Annex A.
Personalised Learning
The Department for Education does not collect institution level data on curricula or learning plans. However, the fact that Academies do not have to follow the National Curriculum means that they have maximum possible freedom to personalise learning for their pupils.
An independent evaluation of the Academies programme by Price Waterhouse Coopers[4] assessed curriculum innovation in Academies. The evaluators explained that “the purpose of giving Academies greater freedom on curriculummatters was to allow them to offer more personalised support to pupils and localities, in both cases often with long histories of underachievement.” The evaluators found that “the curriculum in Academies is seen by teachers as more flexible and innovative than in the maintained sector.”
A recent National Audit Office report on Academies[5] also observed “innovative curricular activities” in Academies including extended teaching hours, provision of a more flexible curriculum and in the use of ICT. The National Audit Office also found that Academies were proactively using vocationally based curricula, particularly for lower-attaining pupils, to help engage pupils and provide a route to successful learning.
Here are some specific examples of personalised learning in Academies:-
- At BarnfieldWestAcademy in Luton, the focus has been on a personalised curriculum experience for each student through a large number of pathways. In 2010, Ofsted recognised all aspects of the curriculum as outstanding.
- Burlington Danes Academy in Hammersmith meets the needs of students who arrive with low literacy by suspending parts of the curriculum to allow them to concentrate on the basics in English and maths, getting up to the correct standard before moving onto a broader curriculum.
- WakefieldCityAcademyhas been able to focuson the core subjects and also personalise the curriculum to meetthe individual needs of pupils. For example, enabling pupils to do three sciences at GCSE.
- At the Haberdashers' Aske’s Federation of Academiesin London, separate sciences are embraced, Latin is available to A-level and Mandarin is embedded in the curriculum.
- Barnby Road Academy Primary and Nursery school have been able to increase their “One to One” intervention provision for Maths at year six. In the Key Stage 2 tests that followed this intervention, 100% of the pupils that entered the tests made two levels progress or more, the first time the school had achieved this rate of pupil progress.
Improved Discipline and Higher Standards
A number of independent studies have published evidence on this subject.
- A Public Accounts Committeereport on Academies, published early in 2011, reported thatAcademieshave achieved rapid academic improvements and raised aspirations in some of the most challenging schools in the most deprived areasof the country[6]. The report concluded that this had been achieved through high-quality leadership, a relentless focus on standards, and innovative approaches to learning and to the school timetable.
- Research by Machin & Venoit (2011)[7] found that “moving to a more autonomous school structure through academy conversion generates…a significant improvement in pupil performance.” The authors also found significant positive external effectson the pupil performance in neighbouring schools.
- The Panel on Fair Access to the Professions recommended increasing the number of Sponsored Academies as a way of increasing social mobility, adding that there is a gap between parental demand for good schools and the supply of them[8].
- The National Audit Office’s evaluation of Academies[9]reported that academies have increased the rate of improvement in GCSE results compared with trends in their predecessor schools, with a clear lift in performance after schools become academies. The report acknowledges that Academies have some way to go to match the national average for the percentage of pupils achieving five or more A*-C grade GCSEs or equivalent, particularly when English and mathematics are included. However it also points out that Academies are making good progress against comparable maintained schools both in absolute attainment and relative to prior attainment, with earlier academies generally sustaining improvements over the longer period for which trend data is available.
Internal analysis of Academy performance data supports the findings from the NAO and external evaluators. The time series data is attached in Annex B for reference.
Here are some examples of strategies employed in individual Academies to improve discipline and standards:-
- At the Harris Academy South Norwood there is total consistency in expectations for learning and teaching and zero tolerance in behaviour and dress. This has resulted exceptional outcomes in learner progress, reduced exclusions, improved attendance and almost perfect punctuality.
- MossbourneCommunityAcademy opened in 2004on the site of the failing HackneyDownsSchool. The Academy has a significant level of pupils eligible for Free School Meals and with special educational needs. In their last Ofsted report, the Academy was rated outstanding with inspectors stating: “Students make rapid progress because of excellent behaviour that creates a climate where lessons are entirely focused on learning”. The report also noted that given the starting points of the students, their progress placed the Academy in the top 1% of all secondary schools in England.
- ManchesterAcademyserving the Moss Side area of Manchester has been judged "outstanding" by Ofsted. The report stated that: “A network of very strong support arrangements ensures that students' behaviour and attendance are monitored closely and the Academy takes extremely effective action to remedy any identified weaknesses. As a result, attendance has improved steadily and the number of incidents of unacceptable behaviour has diminished.” The 2010 GCSE results show that 38% of pupilsachieved 5 or more A*-C grades, from a starting base of its predecessor school achieving just 6%.
- School Partnership Trust (which sponsors 5 Academies) has established two regionally based support clusters. Each cluster has an inclusion leader and a curriculum planner and data manager. These colleagues work with staff and Principals within the Academies in their cluster on ensuring effective support strategies are in place for children that find it hard in mainstream. The emphasis is on a proactive approach that would typically include curriculum modification and high levels of personalisation, alongside targeted pastoral support. Where behaviour breaks down there is an agreed strategy across the cluster for time limited withdrawal or managed moves. In extreme and very rare cases students will be allocated an alternative place permanently in one of the Academies within the cluster. The outputs generated by this collaborative approach have been impressive with no permanent exclusions, large reductions in fixed term exclusions and a rise in attendance rates.
The National Audit Office’s evaluation of Academies[10]also discussed Academies’ strategies for improving pupil behaviour. Many academies visited by the Audit Office were employing innovative alternatives to exclusion, such as heavily supervised off-site provision supported by a highly vocational curriculum. The report presents data to show that Academies’ fixed-period exclusion rates overall are higher than the maintained-sector average, although between 2006-07 and 2008-09 they fell faster than both comparator schools and the maintained sector as a whole. Permanent exclusions in relatively new sponsor led Academies have fallen in the last three years, although less rapidly than in comparator schools.
Average Pay
Data on the average pay for classroom and leadership group teachers in maintained nursery and primary schools, secondary schools and academies have been published in Tables 9 and 10 of the Statistical First Release “School Workforce in England, November 2010 (Provisional)”[11]. The Statistical Release highlighted the following key statistics on the relative pay of teachers in LA maintained schools and Academies:-
- In the November 2010 School Workforce Survey the average gross salary of full-time regular qualified classroom teachers in LA maintainedschools in England was £34,700.
- The average gross salary of full-time regular qualified classroom teachers in Academy schoolswas £35,700.
- The average gross salary of leadership level teachers in LA maintained nursery and primaryschools was £51,600 and £60,700 in secondary schools. The equivalent figure for leadershiplevel teachers in Academy schools was £62,100.
Detailed data on the average pay for community primary and secondary schools are shown in figures 2.6.3a and 2.6.5a of the Research Report “A profile of teachers in England from the 2010 School Workforce Census”[12].
ANNEX A – CLASS SIZE DATA
STATE-FUNDED PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS (1):CLASSES AS TAUGHT (2)
January each year: 2010 to 2011
England
2010 / 2011
MAINTAINED PRIMARY SCHOOLS (1)
Average class size / 26.4 / 26.6
Total number of classes / 142,357 / 142,314
Percentage of classes with
1 - 30 pupils / 90.6 / 90.6
31-35 pupils / 8.7 / 8.7
36 or more pupils / 0.8 / 0.7
Total number of pupils / 3,758,825 / 3,785,165
Percentage of pupils in classes with
1 - 30 pupils / 88.3 / 88.5
31-35 pupils / 10.6 / 10.4
36 or more pupils / 1.1 / 1.0
PRIMARY ACADEMY SCHOOLS
Average class size / . / 27.7
Total number of classes / . / 485
Percentage of classes with
1 - 30 pupils / . / 86.0
31-35 pupils / . / 12.4
36 or more pupils / . / 1.6
Total number of pupils / . / 13,450
Percentage of pupils in classes with
1 - 30 pupils / . / 83.3
31-35 pupils / . / 14.2
36 or more pupils / . / 2.5
MAINTAINED SECONDARY SCHOOLS (1)
Average class size / 20.6 / 20.6
Total number of classes / 139,702 / 131,533
Percentage of classes with
1 - 30 pupils / 93.2 / 93.1
31-35 pupils / 6.6 / 6.8
36 or more pupils / 0.1 / 0.1
Total number of pupils / 2,879,385 / 2,706,550
2010 / 2011
Percentage of pupils in classes with
1 - 30 pupils / 89.4 / 89.3
31-35 pupils / 10.2 / 10.5
36 or more pupils / 0.3 / 0.2
CITY TECHNOLOGY COLLEGES
Average class size / 19.0 / 16.3
Total number of classes / 149 / 184
Percentage of classes with
1 - 30 pupils / 98.7 / 98.9
31-35 pupils / 0.0 / 0.0
36 or more pupils / 1.3 / 1.1
Total number of pupils / 2,825 / 3,000
Percentage of pupils in classes with
1 - 30 pupils / 95.3 / 95.4
31-35 pupils / 0.0 / 0.0
36 or more pupils / 4.7 / 4.6
SPONSORLEDACADEMIES AND SECONDARYACADEMYSCHOOLS (1)
Average class size / 19.1 / 19.4
Total number of classes / 9,342 / 17,732
Percentage of classes with
1 - 30 pupils / 97.4 / 95.7
31-35 pupils / 2.4 / 4.2
36 or more pupils / 0.1 / 0.1
Total number of pupils / 178,215 / 343,735
Percentage of pupils in classes with
1 - 30 pupils / 95.7 / 92.9
31-35 pupils / 4.0 / 6.9
36 or more pupils / 0.3 / 0.2
Source: School Census
1. Includes middle schools as deemed.
2. One teacher classes as taught during a single selected period in each school on the day of the census in January.
. Not applicable
Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 5. There may be discrepancies between the sum of constituent items and totals as shown.
FOI 20110068819 (October 2011)
ANNEX B – IMPROVEMENTS IN STANDARDS
AnnualChanges in the Proportion of Pupils Achieving 5+A*-C including English Maths2002 / 2003 / 2004 / 2005 / 2006 / 2007 / 2008 / 2009 / 2010 / 2011 (provisional) / % point Change in Academy Performance / % point Change in Performance of Maintained Schools / Maintained Schools Time Series
0 Academies with results in 2002 2003 / - / - / 40.2
3 Academies with results in 2003 2004 / 12.5 / 9.4 / -3.1 / 0.9 / 41.1
10 Academies with results in 2004 2005 / 12.7 / 14.4 / 1.7 / 1.4 / 42.5
Break in series – see notes below
13 Academies with results in 2005 2006 / 15.5 / 21.6 / 6.1 / 1.5 / 44.0
19 Academies with results in 2006 2007 / 21.6 / 26.2 / 4.6 / 1.8 / 45.8
35 Academies with results in 2007 2008 / 24.7 / 29.3 / 4.6 / 2.4 / 48.2
62 Academies with results in 2008 2009 / 29.8 / 34.9 / 5.1 / 2.5 / 50.7
106 Academies with results in 2009 & 2010 / 34.9 / 42.7 / 7.8 / 4.5 / 55.2
162 Academies with results in 2010 2011 / 40.6 / 45.9 / 5.3 / 2.6 / 57.8
Notes: Figures used to derive annual improvement rates for 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05 are based on pupils aged 15. Figures used to derive annual improvement rates for 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-8, 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 are based on all pupils at the end of Key Stage 4. Data for 2011 are provisional. Final data for 2011 will be available in January 2012 when school Performance Tables are published.
Source: Department for Education (October 2011)
[1]“Academies Evaluation - Fifth Annual Report”. Price Waterhouse Coopers (2008).
[2]Department of Education press release (12 September 2011).
[3]DfE Statistical First Release: “Schools, Pupils and Their Characteristics, January 2011”
[4]“Academies Evaluation - Fifth Annual Report”. Price Waterhouse Coopers (2008).
[5]“Department for Education: The Academies Programme” (September 2010)
[6] PublicAccountsCommittee Seventeenth Report: ”The Academies Programme”(January 2011)
[7]“Changing School Economy: AcademySchools and their Introduction to England’s Education” Stephen Machin and James Vernoit (April 2011)
[8] “Unleashing Aspiration: The Final Report of the Panel on Fair Access to the Professions” (2009)
[9]“Department for Education: The Academies Programme” (September 2010)
[10]“Department for Education: The Academies Programme” (September 2010)
[11]
[12]