Balls threatens sanctions over struggling primaries

The Children’s Secretary is to write to the 12 local authorities with the poorest performing primary schools, demanding that an action plan is put in place by the end of January 2010.

The move coincided with the announcement of a £900m support package for local authorities and schools, which will include £315m for one-to-one tuition for pupils falling behind in English and maths.

All local authorities will be asked to set out by March 2010 how they plan to help their schools become “world class primaries”. Schools would be designated under a framework as “great schools”, “good schools”, “schools with inconsistent results”, and “schools needing to maximise progression”.

The government wants greater collaboration between the stronger performing schools and those that are struggling. The package includes funds to create partnerships of schools, with a view to them becoming accredited schools groups.

Ed Balls, who has threatened sanctions if local authorities “are not gripping the agenda”, said primary education is vital in setting children up for success later in life. “I will not stand by while any child goes to a school where results are persistently low,” he said. “It’s now down to local authorities to get all schools making progress all of the time.”

The Children, Schools and Families Bill, published last month, sets out the government’s plans for the legal framework for the schools system. Its proposals include giving parents and pupils legally binding guarantees, powers for schools to pool their budgets, a new primary curriculum and a new professional standard for teachers called the Licence to Practise.