The latest release of Ofsted inspection results highlight that the percentage of Tower Hamlets pupils going to Outstanding local authority maintained primary schools has fallen by over 10% in the last 5 years.
The Labour controlled Tower Hamlets Overview and Scrutiny Committee has chosen to defer an investigation on this issue, despite the percentage of Tower Hamlets pupils attending Inadequate schools being twice the London average. Primary academy schools in Poplar and Limehouse are all either Outstanding or Good.
Chris Wilford, Conservative Parliamentary Spokesman for Poplar and Limehouse says:
“Tower Hamlets First make much of their record in education yet they have taken their eye off the ball. Whilst there has been progress, largely due to the education reforms of this Conservative led government which has freed increasing numbers of schools from Town Hall control, there has been a clear decline in the number of our children attending Ofsted-rated Outstanding local authority maintained primary schools.”
“Research has consistently shown that the early years of a child’s education are critical to their future prospects. Whilst Labour seems to be content to let standards slide, it is time to get a grip on falling standards and stop the decline. This includes supporting schools that wish to become academies and encouraging Outstanding academy schools to expand.”
Notes to Editors
1. The percentage of Tower Hamlets pupils attending Outstanding schools was 27% in 2009 and 14% in 2014. Full figures and data tables are available on the OFSTED Dataview site here: http://dataview.ofsted.gov.uk
2. In Tower Hamlets, 2% of pupils attend an Inadequate primary school. In London as a whole, 1% of pupils attend an Inadequate primary school.