After publishing the facts behind the Isle of Wight Education Authority getting the lowest GCSE results in the UK, it’s only natural that we wanted to follow up with the two high profile people at the Isle of Wight council who have had responsibility for over-seeing the schools on the Island – IWC chief executive Steve Beynon and Cllr David Pugh.
Rather than us re-interpret Steve’s emails, we feel it’s best for you to read his words, so we’ve enclosed his reply, our follow up and his subsequent response.
We’ll publish David Pugh’s reply later.
We originally wrote …
“You didn’t like our description of the KS1-KS2 expected progress in English and Maths as ‘a pretty shocking read‘. I assume you won’t have a similar gripe for today’s GCSE results, even if they are the Statistical First Release.
(A couple of questions)
When did you join the Isle of Wight council?
Who will take responsibility for there terrible results and will they resign?
What will be put in place to get the IW LA off the very bottom of the GCSE results across the whole of England?I look forward to your reply.”
In less than an hour, Steve replied with the following …
“The GCSE results are disappointing.
“I joined Isle of Wight Council in October 2006.
“School leadership (senior staff and governors) is responsible to the quality of teaching, learning and academic success. The LA does not appoint staff, manage the budget or determine the choice of curriculum and the LA role has steadily lessened since 1986 when delegation of budgets to schools took place and further so in 2004 when the right of inspection was removed and transferred to Ofsted. The LA’s powers in relation to schools are defined in the 2006 Education Act. The phrase often used ‘LA control’ has little resonance with reality.
“We have already agreed a school improvement support package for two of the schools with the lowest results which will begin after half term and funded by the schools. This followed a meeting between the LA and the Trust and governors during August.”
After reading Steve’s reply we sent a follow up question, “That reads like the council doesn’t have overview or overall control of the schools … as if you have no influence over them. Is that really the case?”
He replied …
“The key difference is between control and influence. As from my first reply you can see what I mean about control or lack of. We can influence and intervene using the 2006 Act powers but often this is reactive after the event as it depends on what schools choose to share with us. For secondary schools we are using the scrutiny process which they have to their credit voluntarily agreed to participate in. For primary schools we have a six monthly review process and offer a support mixture of paid for and free (from April 2013 all the funds for this support will be with the schools in their budget) – they don’t have to engage but if we have serious concerns we can intervene.
“What parents and others find strange is that we have no right of entry to schools (except for safeguarding or health and safety reasons) and curriculum complaints go the the Secretary of State.
“One key influence is the role of the LA appointed governors but this is changing as in future schools do not have to accept our nomination.
“As you can see not straight forward.
“Hope this clarifies”
