Lord Nash calls for more academy sponsors
Minister issues call for more academy sponsors to come forward to raise standards in education in Yorkshire and the Humber.
Schools Minister Lord Nash today called on leading schools, businesses and enterprising groups and individuals to step in and raise standards of education in Yorkshire and the Humber.
Three events hosted by the Department for Education, the Diocese of Wakefield and the Gorse Academies Trust are being held on 17 and 18 October in Leeds. The events aim to attract businesses, schools, community leaders and others to become academy sponsors and school governors and to encourage them to advise young people on their options for the future or provide work experience or mentors. Invitations and speakers have been drawn from across the region’s 15 local authority areas.
Many schools in the region are performing well, and there are some brilliant sponsors turning around underperformance, including Outwood Grange Academies Trust and the Gorse Academies Trust. However, there are still a number of primary and secondary schools where children are not getting the standard of education they need.
Lord Nash said businesses, and others in Yorkshire and the Humber, had the power and ability to change the current situation and improve school standards.
He said:
I want to see all schools in the area achieving the very best for their pupils. There are some fantastic examples of great schools here - but equally there are cases where children are not getting the start in life they deserve.
I would urge businesses and public-spirited individuals and groups to come forward and sponsor an academy, become a governor or get involved in another way in helping young people realise their potential.
The 3 events are being held to show businesses how they can get involved in sponsoring academies. They are:
- the community leaders event - 17 October 2013, 5:30pm at The Royal Armouries Museum, Armouries Drive, Leeds LS10 1LT
- the business leaders symposium - 18 October 2013, 7:30am at Farnley Academy, Chapel Lane, Leeds LS12 5EU
- the system leaders symposium - 18 October 2013, 10:30am at Farnley Academy, Chapel Lane, Leeds LS12 5EU
To attend, interested parties should register online.
Table 1: Results in key stage 2 tests and GCSEs by local authority in Yorkshire and the Humber region
| Local authority | 2013 percentage who achieved level 4 or above in key stage 2 tests (provisional) | 2012 percentage who achieved 5 or more GCSEs at A* to C inc English and maths |
|---|---|---|
| Barnsley | 71% | 45% |
| Bradford | 68% | 52% |
| Calderdale | 76% | 61% |
| Doncaster | 72% | 55% |
| East Riding of Yorkshire | 77% | 57% |
| Kingston upon Hull | 70% | 48% |
| Kirklees | 70% | 62% |
| Leeds | 73% | 55% |
| North East Lincolnshire | 69% | 61% |
| North Lincolnshire | 70% | 56% |
| North Yorkshire | 73% | 66% |
| Rotherham | 70% | 60% |
| Sheffield | 70% | 56% |
| Wakefield | 71% | 59% |
| York | 77% | 63% |
| Yorkshire and Humber average | 72% | 57% |
| England average | 75% | 59% |
Table 2: Schools below the floor and schools in special measures (SM) in the region, by local authority
| Local authority | Primary below floor 2012 | Secondary below floor 2012 | SM primary | SM secondary | SM special/PRU | Total in SM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnsley | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Bradford | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Calderdale | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Doncaster | 5 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| East Riding of Yorkshire | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kingston upon Hull | 5 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| Kirklees | 10 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Leeds | 15 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| North East Lincolnshire | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| North Lincolnshire | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| North Yorkshire | 9 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| Rotherham | 6 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| Sheffield | 5 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 8 |
| Wakefield | 8 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| York | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Yorkshire and Humber total | 89 | 24 | 38 | 13 | 3 | 54 |
| England total | 476 | 195 | 286 | 79 | 28 | 393 |
Table 3: Number of academies in the Yorkshire and the Humber region
| Local authority | Number of converter academies | Number of sponsored academies | Total open academies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barnsley | 11 | 10 | 21 |
| Bradford | 12 | 13 | 25 |
| Calderdale | 21 | 3 | 24 |
| Doncaster | 24 | 5 | 29 |
| East Riding of Yorkshire | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| Kingston upon Hull | 18 | 10 | 28 |
| Kirklees | 14 | 3 | 17 |
| Leeds | 17 | 12 | 29 |
| North East Lincolnshire | 22 | 14 | 36 |
| North Lincolnshire | 17 | 5 | 22 |
| North Yorkshire | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Rotherham | 13 | 4 | 17 |
| Sheffield | 21 | 11 | 32 |
| Wakefield | 36 | 11 | 47 |
| York | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Yorkshire and Humber total | 247 | 101 | 348 |
| England average | 2,481 | 883 | 3,364 |
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