Clarke drops plan for advanced schools

13 Feb 03
The government has backed down from its plans to introduce a category of advanced schools. Education Secretary Charles Clarke said a new specialist system would be created instead, with all schools encouraged to innovate in the way they teach and orga

14 February 2003

The government has backed down from its plans to introduce a category of advanced schools.

Education Secretary Charles Clarke said a new specialist system would be created instead, with all schools encouraged to innovate in the way they teach and organise themselves.

Setting out his plans on February 10, Clarke said the government had responded to teachers' concerns that the introduction of advanced schools would create a two-tier system.

So far, 217 schools have been given specialist status, 38% of all English secondaries. Clarke reiterated his desire to have up to 2,000 such schools in place by 2006.

The Secondary Heads Association said the speech marked a more inclusive phase in the government's policy on secondary schools.

General secretary John Dunford said: 'What was threatening to become a multi-tier system, with many different titles and, equally damaging, extra funding to go with them, now offers the opportunity to all secondary schools to attract specialist school funding to develop their chosen areas.'

All secondary schools can apply for the specialist tag. However, they must raise £50,000 from private sector sponsorship and in return they get a one-off capital grant of £100,000 and £123 per pupil per year initially for four years.

David Hart from the National Association of Head Teachers said most heads would sign up to the government strategy. However, he warned the government to stop 'trying to micro-manage schools and cut the bureaucracy that is smothering heads'.

Clarke also invited private schools to share their expertise with state schools in return for extra access to grants for improvement.


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