§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many schools have been given a Fresh Start since 1997; and how many pupils obtained five GCSEs at grades A* to C for each of the schools for each year since 1997. [158847]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisThe Government are committed to preventing schools from failing, and turning round those that do as quickly as possible. There are 353 schools on special measures, compared with 515 in 1998. Over 700 failing schools have been successfully turned round since 1997. The average turn-round time is currently 18 months, compared with 25 months in 1997. Over 100 schools in special measures have closed, and the pupils educated elsewhere.
Where it proves impossible to turn a school round in a reasonable time, closure should be the preferred option. In exceptional circumstances, where closure is not 361W feasible, the local education authority may consider a Fresh Start, closing the existing school and opening a new school on the same site. This is a difficult course, and should be reserved for the hardest cases. 25 schools have been "Fresh Started", of which 15 are secondary and 10 primary. All were causing concern, and the majority had been in special measures for over two years.
GCSE/GNVQ Performance data for Fresh Start schools1 Percentage Percentage of pupils achieving 5 GCSE/GNVQ A*-C in: School name Date of Fresh Start 1997 1998 19992 20002 New Firfield Community School 1 September 1998 — — 9 4 Formerly Blakelaw School 9 7 — — New Fir Vale School 1 September 1998 — — 11 17 Formerly Earl Marshal School 11 10 — — New East Brighton College of Media Arts 1 September 1999 — — — 13 Formerly The Marina High School 13 13 19 — New Islington Arts and Media 1 September 1999 — — — 5 Formerly George Orwell School 13 10 18 — New Kingswood High School 1 September 1999 — — — 3 formerly Perronet Thompson School 5 6 8 — New Telegraph Hill 1 September 1999 — — — 3 Formerly Hatcham Wood School 7 14 8 — New Bishopsford Community School 1 September 1999 — — — 12 Formerly Watermeads High School 22 18 13 — New River Leen School 1 September 1999 — — — 7 Formerly Alderman Derbyshire School 7 5 11 — New The King's CE School 1 September 1998 — — 36 34 Formerly Regis County School 25 29 — — New New College 1 September 1999 — — — 11 Formerly New Parks Community College 16 14 13 — Mary Linwood School 14 6 7 — Wycliffe Community College 11 2 14 — John Ellis Community College 17 19 12 — Alderman Newton's School 21 21 31 — Mundella Community College 23 26 23 — New Park View Academy 1 September 1999 — — — 12 Formerly The Langham School 7 13 13 — New Kings High School 1 September 2000 — — — — Formerly Kingsleigh Secondary School 9 17 17 10 New Parkwood High School 1 September 2000 — — — — Formerly The Herries School 11 13 4 14 New Kings College 1 September 2000 — — — — Formerly Kings Manor School 18 20 13 10 New Corby Community College 1 September 2000 — — — — Formerly Queen Elizabeth School 19 19 16 8 Beanfield Community College 9 21 15 8 1 Data for Fresh Start Schools; data for predecessor establishments shown below each Fresh Start school. 2 Performance Data for 1999 adjusted for exclusions; 2000 data adjusted for exclusions and refugees. Source:
Performance tables.