By Charlotte Dobson
Three in 10 secondary schools in Manchester are judged by Ofsted to be inadequate or require improvement.
Ofsted chiefs warn the Northern Powerhouse will ‘splutter and die’ if action is not taken to improve struggling schools in Manchester.
Sir Michael Wilshaw, the chief inspector of schools in England, has hit out at the flagging performance of secondary schools in Manchester and many neighbouring boroughs.
In a speech this morning, Sir Michael will call on politicians in Manchester and Liverpool to put education at the heart of the Powerhouse agenda.
“Manchester and Liverpool are at the core of our ambitions for a Northern Powerhouse,” he will tell an audience of teachers and political leaders.
“They are the engines that could transform the prospects of the entire region.
“But as far as secondary education is concerned they are not firing on all cylinders. In fact they seem to be going into reverse.”
Sir Michael Wilshaw, the chief inspector of schools in England, has hit out at the flagging performance of secondary schools in Manchester and many neighbouring boroughs.
In a speech this morning, Sir Michael will call on politicians in Manchester and Liverpool to put education at the heart of the Powerhouse agenda.
“Manchester and Liverpool are at the core of our ambitions for a Northern Powerhouse,” he will tell an audience of teachers and political leaders.
“They are the engines that could transform the prospects of the entire region.
“But as far as secondary education is concerned they are not firing on all cylinders. In fact they seem to be going into reverse.”
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Ofsted say primary schools have largely improved, yet three out of 10 secondaries in Manchester are judged to be inadequate or require improvement.
The proportion of students gaining five GCSEs from A* to C including English and Maths dropped from 51pc to 47pc in Manchester last year, ranking it in the bottom eight of local authorities nationally.
Salford, Rochdale and Oldham have also come under the fire from Oftsed’s regional director, Chris Russell.
In an open letter, he said: “It is worrying that some of the Greater Manchester areas now figure among the worst performing local authorities in England for this measure.”
Mr Russell said the standards were ‘disappointing’ considering the £50m investment in education during the Greater Manchester Challenge.
The regional director’s letter calls into question the effectiveness of education leaders in Manchester - including those in local authorities.
Yet council chiefs say they have worked ‘tirelessly’ to drive up standards in its schools.
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