Consultants to help boost schools

Nearly 500 education support staff in Bristol are to be transferred to a private consultancy company in an attempt to raise standards in schools.

Government figures released in June reported that secondary schools in the city had the highest proportion needing improvement across England.

The council is seeking to work with an external partner to drive up standards.

Education consultancy companies are being invited to tender for the £15m-a-year contract.

Coherent package

The organisation would work alongside the council's own specialists.

"It will mean that we have more support to give schools, to help them reach targets they have set themselves and help them achieve the ambitions that they have to raise standards for children and young people," said Heather Tomlinson, head of children's services.

Deputy council leader Peter Hammond said: "Head teachers have asked us to develop a coherent package of support services to schools from a single provider.

"We believe this is the best option to strengthen support services and to ensure there is coherence and clarity in the way they are managed."

The move, part of the council's Excellence for All programme, aims to build on and accelerate the city's recent improvement in GCSE results, which saw Bristol rise six places in the provisional national league tables published in October.