London's worst schools 'improve'

London's GCSE results are better than ever, the government says

Some of the worst performing schools in London show "dramatic" improvements, the education watchdog says.

Ofsted said 89% of the worst schools in the capital are seeing more pupils get five good GCSEs compared with 73% of the worst schools nationally.

And 59% of London schools were rated good for overall effectiveness in 2005-06, against 49% nationally.

But 29% of London's secondary schools are still in the bottom quarter of the league tables, Ofsted said.

However, the situation had improved considerably since 2003 when four out of 10 London schools languished in the bottom quartile of the tables.

This year, the capital achieved its best ever GCSE results Lord Adonis

Ofsted's director of education Miriam Rosen said: "It is encouraging that London secondary schools are making significant improvements helped by the London Challenge.

"This is illustrated by the rise in standards at Key Stage 3 and 4."

This was partly because of targeted investment under a five year partnership between schools, London boroughs and the government, Ofsted said.

Under the London Challenge project, 70 schools in five local authorities with the most challenging circumstances are being given intensive support by an expert group of advisers, the London commissioner and the minister for London.

The project's goal is to ensure that all 70 schools meet the target of ensuring 30% of their pupils achieve five good GCSE grades by 2008.

The report found much progress towards this goal with 89% of secondary schools within Inner London seeing more than a third of pupils getting five benchmark GCSEs.

'Different story'

Schools Minister Andrew Adonis said Ofsted's verdict was a "tribute to teachers, pupils and parents" efforts.

"This year, the capital achieved its best ever GCSE results, with more London students achieving good results than elsewhere in the rest of the country.

"One in four London schools secured outstanding results at GCSE in 2005.

"Inner London schools that were once written off as failing have seen some of the biggest improvements in the country. Twenty three new Academies are now open in London, and we are planning for many more.

'Long-awaited improvements'

He said it was easy to forget that in 1997 it was a very "different story".

"We have doubled the number of pupils in inner London gaining five good GCSEs from 6,636 in 1997 compared to 12,300 this year," Lord Adonis added.

Liberal Democrat education spokeswoman Sarah Teather MP said the developments Ofsted noted were good news, but that "they were necessary and long-awaited improvements". She added: "Extra cash to schools is inevitably going to reap some benefits. But focusing money on individual pupils who are struggling could provide even greater returns."

Tory shadow schools minister Nick Gibb said there was much to be learned from the report.

"We need to look at what the best state schools in London are doing, whether it be setting and streaming, policies geared to raise behaviour, or the availability of extra-curricular activities and sport."