Academies' GCSE results rise

The Business Academy, Bexley, has improved its GCSE performance by more than 20 percentage points since opening

The government's controversial academy programme - aimed at areas of educational disadvantage - has been boosted by improving GCSE results.

In 10 out of 14 of the new academies built in England so far, GCSE results improved on last year.

Ministers say all but two of the schools are performing better since they opened as academies.

They have pledged to build or begin work on building 200 academies by 2010, at a cost of £5bn.

The schools are controversial because they are part-funded by the private sector and stand apart from the general state system.

Academies have typically replaced schools in deprived urban areas. To become an academy, a school must raise up to £2m from private sponsors.

The government pays the rest of the start-up costs, typically £25m. The sponsors are given considerable powers over the curriculum and general management of the school, while running costs are met by the state.

'Improvement'

Ministers say they are pleased that the percentage of pupils achieving the equivalent of five good GCSEs (A* to C grades) at the academies is growing.

"Overall the provisional results show academy pupils have on average improved their results by over eight percentage points compared to last year," said Schools Minister Jacqui Smith.

"Academies since opening have on average made around a five percentage point improvement per year in the numbers gaining five good grades - a very good result considering the national average last year was 0.8.

"In particular we are seeing some very strong performances, such as The City Academy, Bristol and Greig City Academy, London whose results have both doubled since opening. Greig City Academy is reporting a 27-point rise in the numbers gaining five good grades from 25% last year to 52%.

"The City Academy, Bristol is reporting an 18 percentage points rise in the numbers gaining five good grades (33% to 51%). Its predecessor school scored 26% in its last year."

'Disappointing'

The Unity City Academy in Middlesbrough is one of those which did not do so well this year.

The proportion of children getting five good GCSEs fell two percentage points this year to 15%.

Earlier this year, the academy was put into special measures after a damning Ofsted report. It had been built to replace two failing schools.

Joe McCarthy, chairman of the Academy Trust, said: "I will not pretend that these figures are anything other than disappointing and unacceptable.

"But I do not believe they can be regarded as surprising given the upheavals which have affected the academy over the past year.

"We were facing a legacy of financial management and educational failings."

The three other academies which had lower results this year were the Business Academy in Bexley, the Capital City Academy in Brent and the West London Academy.

However, since opening in 2002, the Bexley Business Academy had improved its GCSE performance by about 20 percentage points, the government said.