Still No Special Measures for Teach First
In The News, Ofsted, Teach First, Teach for America Sunday, June 19th, 2011The recent publication of OFSTED data on those schools causing concern in April 2011 has given us another chance to assess Teach First’s claim that they are addressing educational disadvantage.
In England and Wales there are 322 Schools in Special Measures and 252 Teach First participating schools, of which only 5 (2%) are on OFSTED’s Special Measures list (See full list at the bottom of the post).
In fact, if you were to check the inspection grades for Teach First’s schools you’d find that many are graded ’2′ (good) and even ’1′ (outstanding).
Our point is a simple one: If Teach First is truly committed to alleviating educational disadvantage, shouldn’t this ‘charity’ be working in the most challenging schools as identified by OFSTED?
Or is this organisation – as we suspect – no more than a glorified temporary staff recruitment agency scheming with government, school managers and edubusinesses (take a note of how many academies are working with TF) to exploit young graduates and the ambiguity of ‘educational disadvantage’ for their own ends?
These ends? Lowering staffing costs (academies can set their own salaries), sidestepping of union wage agreements and pushing on with back-door privatisation of public education.
This kind of thing is not confined to the UK, either. We have reported at length on the goings on across the pond with Teach For America. And don’t just take our word for it – take a look at this and this, for examples.
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Abbeydale Grange School
Abbotsfield School
Abingdon Primary School
Adisham Church of England Primary School
Alkrington Primary School
All Saints Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant School, Hessle
Allenton Community Primary School
Alvaston Junior School
Andover Church of England Primary School
Andrew Marvell Business and Enterprise College
Annie Holgate Junior School
Applegarth Junior School
Archway School
Ash Grange Primary School
Ashbrow Junior School
Ashdale
Badwell Ash Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Balksbury Junior School
Bannerman Road Community School and Children’s Centre
Bell Lane Combined School
Bell Wood Community Primary School
Belvoirdale Community Primary School
Beverley St Nicholas Community Primary School
Billesley Primary School
Birch Hill Primary School
Blaise Primary and Nursery School
Blakenhale Infant School
Bradwell Village School
Brenchley and Matfield Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Brewster Avenue Infant School
Bridgewater Primary School
Briscoe Primary School and Nursery
Bristol Gateway School
Broadford Primary School
Brockley Primary School
Brockworth Enterprise School
Broom Valley Community School
Browney Primary School
Burnham Upper School
Burton Church of England Primary School
Calcot Junior School
Callands Primary School
Canonbury Primary School
Castleway Primary School
Causeway Green Primary School
Cecil Jones College
Chalgrove Community Primary School
Chantry Primary School
Cheshunt School
Chesswood Middle School
Chiddingly Primary School
Christ Church Pellon CofE VC Primary School
Cippenham Primary School
Cleves Primary School
Cobblers Lane Primary School
Combe Martin Primary School
Coniston CofE Primary School
Cottingham Church of England School
Courthouse Green Primary School
Crawford Primary School
Crowlands Primary School
Culvers House Primary School
Darfield Foulstone School of Creative Arts
Darfield Valley Primary School
Darfield, All Saints, Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School
Darton College
Delamere Forest School
Denaby Main Primary School
Dinglewell Infant School
Downsview Community Primary School
Doxey Primary and Nursery School
Dukesgate Primary School
Dymchurch Primary School
Earby Springfield Primary School
Eastwood Primary School
Eaton Valley Primary School
Edgewood Primary and Nursery School
Egerton High School
Ellacombe School
Elmhurst School
Endeavour High School
Ernesettle Community School
Exeter House Special School
Eyres Monsell Primary School
Farnworth Church of England Controlled Primary School
Fearnhill School
Fenland Junction PRU
Ferham Primary School
Feversham Primary School
Field Lane Primary School
Field View Primary School
Filton Avenue Junior School
Foredyke Primary School
Fountain Primary School
Foxhole Primary School
Frank F Harrison Engineering College
Frogwell Primary School
Gamlingay Village College
Glenfrome Primary School
Gloucester School
Gooseacre Primary School
Granville Sports College
Great Coates Primary School
Great Harwood St John’s Church of England Primary School
Great Torrington Junior School
Greenacre Primary & Nursery School
Hainault Forest High School
Halfway Junior School
Hallgate Primary School Cottingham
Hanson School
Harden Primary School
Hardwick Junior School
Hasting Hill Primary School
Hatchford Brook Junior and Infant School
Hatfield Manor CofE Junior School
Hatfield Visual Arts College
Hawkesley CofE/Methodist Primary School
Hawthorns Junior School
Heybridge Primary School
Heyworth Primary School
Hibaldstow Primary School
Higham Ferrers Junior School
Highbury Primary School
Hillside Primary School
Hindley Surestart Nursery
Horsell CofE Aided Junior School
Houldsworth Valley Primary School
Howden School and Technology College
Hurst Green Church of England Primary School
Huthwaite All Saint’s CofE (Aided) Infant School
Ilminster Avenue Primary School
Intake Primary School
Iqra Slough Islamic Primary School
James Elliman School
Jeffries Primary and Nursery School
Kettlefields Primary School
Killamarsh Junior School
King Offa Primary School
Kingfisher School
Kings International College for Business and the Arts
Kings Rise Community Primary School
Kingsley College
Kirkley Community High School
Ladywood Primary School
Langer Primary School
Larkholme Primary School
Lawnswood School
Leigh Primary School
Leiston Middle School
Leverton PRU
Linden Primary School
Lings Primary School
Lodge Primary School
Loseley Fields Primary School
Luddenden Dene CofE (VC) Junior Infant and Nursery School
Luttons Community Primary School
Lyon Park Junior School
Maltby Redwood Junior and Infant School
Marish Primary School
Marlpool Junior School
Marshland Primary School
Meadow View Primary School
Meath Green Junior School
Medway Community Primary School
Messing-Cum-Inworth Primary School
Mexborough School
Midpoint Centre (Key Stage 4 PRU)
Millfield Primary School
Milton Court Primary School
Moorbrook School
Morehall Primary School
Moseley Park & Technology College
Mount Pleasant Primary School
Narborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
New Chapter School
Newhall Community Junior School
North Wingfield Primary and Nursery School
Notton House School
Oak Trees Community School
Oakefield Primary and Nursery School
Offa’s Mead Primary School
Okehampton Primary School
Orchards Church of England Primary School
Oval Primary School
Parliament Primary School
Paulsgrove Primary School
Peel Park Primary School
Pells Church of England Primary School
Perry Wood Primary and Nursery School
Peterhouse Primary School
Pilgrims’ Way Primary School and Nursery
Place Farm Community Primary School
Pontefract Orchard Head Junior and Infant School
Pontefract St Giles Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior and Infant School
Portfield Community Primary School
Portland School
Portslade Community College
Queen’s Park Junior School
Ramsgate, Christ Church Church of England Junior School
Ranikhet Primary School
Ravensthorpe Primary School
Ravenswood Community Primary School
Ravensworth Junior School
Ridge Hill Primary School and Nursery
Riverview Primary School
Roade School Sports College
Romsey Abbey Church of England Primary School
Rowdown Primary School
Rudheath Community Primary School
Saint Bede’s Catholic Science College
Samuel Barlow Primary and Nursery School
Sennen School
Shepton Mallet Infants’ School
Sherdley Primary School
Shinfield St Mary’s CofE Junior School
Sigglesthorne Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
Slater Primary School
Southdown Junior School
Southery Primary School
Spinnens Acre Community Junior School
Spinney Infant School
St Bede’s Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided First School
St Clement’s Church of England Primary School
St Cuthbert’s Catholic Community School
St Damian’s RC Science College
St George’s CofE Junior and Infant School
St George’s Primary School
St James’ Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
St James’ CofE Primary School
St John’s Catholic Primary School, Trowbridge
St Mary and John Church of England Primary School
St Mary Cray Primary School
St Mary Redcliffe Church of England Primary School
St Mary’s Farnham Royal CofE Primary School
St Matthias and Dr Bell’s CofE VA Primary School
St Michael’s CofE Junior and Infant School
St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School
St Patrick’s RC Comprehensive School
St Patrick’s RC Primary School
St Paul with St Luke CofE Primary School
St Peter’s Church of England Primary School
St Saviours Catholic Primary School
St Stephen’s Church of England Primary School
St Thomas More Catholic Primary School
St Weonard’s Primary School
St Wilfrid’s Catholic High School
St Wilfrid’s RC College
St Wulstan’s Catholic Primary School
St.Saviour’s Church of England Primary School
Sutton Park Community Primary School
Syresham St James CofE Primary School
Talavera Junior School
Talbot Combined School
Tattershall Primary School
Tavistock College
Thameside Primary School
The Centre School
The Chestnut Centre
The Clarendon College
The Ellis Church of England (Voluntary Aided) Primary School
The Eltham Foundation School
The Henry Prince CofE (C) First School
The John Henry Newman CofE (A) Primary School
The John Loughborough School
The Kilburn Park School Foundation
The Kingfisher School
The Mark Way School
The Market Weighton School
The Meden School and Technology College
The Misbourne School
The Phoenix Centre
The Pilgrims’ Way School
The Queen Elizabeth’s (1561) Endowed School
The Rookeries Carleton Junior and Infant School: With Hearing Impairment Resource
The Saint Thomas’ Church of England Primary School, Boston
The Vyne Community School
The Willows Primary School
The Willows Primary School
Thetford Queensway Community Junior School
Thornbury Primary School
Thorns Community College
Three Bridges Junior School
Thurcroft Junior School
Thurrock Pupil Referral Unit
Tilbury Primary School
Timbertree Primary School
Usworth Grange Primary School
Victoria Avenue Community Primary School
Walbottle Village Primary School
Walter Daw Primary School
Warren Wood Community Primary School and Language Unit
Warwickshire Pupil Re-Integration Unit
Washington School
Watchetts Junior School
Watermoor Church of England Primary School
Watton Junior School
Welbeck Primary School
Well Lane Primary School
Wellsprings Primary School
Westcott Primary School
Western House Primary School
Weston Favell School
Weston Mill Community Primary School
Wheatley Church of England (C) Primary School
Wheldon School and Sports College
William Booth Primary and Nursery School
William Morris Primary School
William Morris School
Willow Brook Primary School
Windhill CofE Primary School
Winterton Comprehensive School with Specialist Status in Engineering
Winton Arts and Media College
Wirksworth Junior School
Wollescote Primary School
Wombwell High – A Humanities College
Wood End Primary School
Woodham Ley Primary School
Woodland Community Primary School
Woodlands Junior School
Woodlands Primary School
Woodside Middle School
Wykeham Primary School
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Abraham Moss High School
Addington High School
Alexandra High School & Sixth Form Centr
All Saints Catholic Centre for Learning
Alsop High School, A Technology College
Alumwell Business Enterprise College
Archbishop Grimshaw Catholic High School
Astley Sports College & Community High School
Aston Manor School
Avon Valley School
Aylesford School – Sports College
Aylward Academy
Babington Community Technology College
Balby Carr Community Sports & Science College
Barnhill Community High School
Barr Beacon Language College
Barrs Hill School
Bartley Green School
Basildon Academies
Baverstock Foundation School & Specialist Sports College
Bethnal Green Technology College
Bexley Business Academy
Bishop Douglass RC High School
Blue Coat C of E Comprehensive School
Blue Gate Fields Primary School
Bolton St Catherine’s Academy
Bow School
Bradford Academy
Broadway School
Brownhills Community Technology College
Bruntcliffe School
Bulwell Academy
Burlington Danes Academy
Burnage Arts & Media College
Bushey Academy
Business Academy at Bexley (Primary)
Buttershaw Business & Enterprise College
Capital City Academy
Carlton Bolling College
Carr Manor High School
Castle Vale School & Specialist Performing Arts College
Cathedral C of E High School
Cator Park School for Girls
Central Foundation Girls School
Charles Edward Brooke School
Chaucer Business & Enterprise College
Chorlton High School
City of Leeds
City of London Academy (Southwark)
City of London Academy Islington
Clapton Girls’ Technology College
Cockburn College of Arts
Coinsborough College
College of Performing Arts
Community College East Birmingham
Computing College
Co-operative Academy
Copley High School
Counthill School
Crayford Temple Grove Primary
Crown Woods School
Culloden Primary School
da Vinci Community College
David Young Academy
Debden Park High School
Dixons Allerton Academy
Djanogly City Academy
Dormers Wells High School
Downs View Primary School
Dr Steve Garnett of salesforce.com
Droylsden Academy
Eastbury Comprehensive School
Eastwood Comprehensive School
Egerton Park Arts College
Eltham Green Specialist Sports College
Ernesford Grange Community School
Essa Academy
Failsworth High School
Fazakerley High School
Feltham Community College
Firth Park Community Arts College
Four Dwellings School
Fulham Cross School
Fullhurst Community College
Garston Academy
George Tomlinson School
Globe Academy
Golden Hillock School
Grace Academy Darlaston
Grace Academy Solihull
Grange Technology College
Greenford High School
Greig City Academy
Haberdashers’ Aske’s Hatcham College
Haberdashers’ Aske’s Knights Academy
Haggerston School
Harborne Adademy
Harefield Academy
Harris Academy Purley
Harris Academy South Norwood
Heartlands Academy
Highbury Grove School
Hillside High School
Hinde House 3-16 School
Hodge Hill Sports & Enterprise College
Holly Lodge Girls’ College
Hurlingham & Chelsea
Immanuel College
International School &
Islington Arts & Media School
Kemnal Technology College
King Harold School
Kings C of E High School
Kings Heath Boys Mathematics &
Kings Norton High School
Kingsbury School & Sports College
Kingsford Community School
Kingsmead School
Kirkby College
Kirkby Sports College
Laisterdyke Business & Enterprise College
Lambeth Academy
Lammas School
Lea Valley High School
Lee Chapel Primary School
Leeds West Academy
Little Ilford School
Little Lever School Specialist Language College
London Fields Primary
Longford Community School
Loxford School of Science & Technology
Manchester Academy
Manchester Creative & Media Academy (Boys)
Manchester Creative & Media Academy (Girls)
Manchester Enterprise Academy
Manchester Health Academy
Mandeville
Manning Comprehensive School
Manorfield Primary
Mellow Lane College
Mill Hill School
Mossbourne Community Academy
Mulberry School for Girls
New Charter Academy
New College Leicester
Nicholas Chamberlaine School
Nightingale Academy
Noel-Baker Community School & Language College
Northumberland Park Community School
Oasis Academy Coulsdon
Oasis Academy Enfield
Oasis Academy Hadley
Oasis Academy MediaCityUK
Oasis Academy: Shirley Park Primary
Old Ford Primary School
Oriel Primary School
Ormiston Sandwell Community Academy
Paddington Academy
Park Hall School
Park View Academy
Park View Bus. & Enterprise College
Parklands Girls’ High School
Parkwood Academy
Parliament Hill School
Peckham Park Primary
Perry Beaches School
Petchey Academy
Phoenix Collegiate
Pimlico Academy
Pinkwell Primary
Plumstead Manor School
Portland School
Primrose High School
Quarrydale School
Quentin Kynaston
Robert Clack School
Rosedale College
Royston Primary School
RSA Academy
Samworth Church Academy
Sandwell Academy
Sheffield Springs Academy
Shirelands Collegiate Academy
Shorefields Technology College
Shuttleworth College
Sidney Stringer School
Sion-Manning School
Sir John Thursby Community College
Smith’s Wood Sports School
Specialist Performing Arts College
Specialist Sports College
St Alban’s Academy
St Anne’s Academy
St Augustine’s CE High School
St Catherine’s Catholic High School
St John Plessington Catholic College
St Mary Magdalene Academy
St Marylebone C.E. School
St Matthew’s RC High School
St Michael & All Angels Academy
St Paul’s
St Stephen’s C of E Primary Lambeth
St Wilfrid’s Catholic High School
St. George’s RC School
St. Saviour’s & St. Olave’s C of E School
Stockley Academy
Stretford Academy
Stuart Bathurst Catholic High School &
Swan Valley Community School
Swanley Technology College Sydenham
The Archbishop Lanfranc School
The Bridge Academy
The City of Leicester College
The Dearne – A Specialist Humanities College
The Dukeries College
The Elmgreen School
The Harris Academy at Peckham
The Harris Academy Bermondsey
The Lancaster School
The London Academy
The Manor School
The Mercers’ Company
The Nottingham Bluecoat School & Technology College
The Nottingham Emmanuel School
The Queen Elizabeth’s (1561) Endowed School
The Quest Academy
The Samworth Enterprise Academy
The Venture Partnership Foundation
The Westminster Foundation & Grosvenor Trust
Tidemill Primary
Trinity School
Unity College
Uxbridge High School
Villiers High School
Walsall Academy
Walthamstow Academy
Walworth Academy
Waverley School
Welling School
Wembley High Technology College
West Drayton Primary School
West London Academy Primary
West London Academy Secondary
Westfield Community Technology College
Westhoughton High School
Westminster Academy
Wombwell High School
Woodberry Down Federation
Woodside High School
Wright Robinson Sports College
Yardleys School
Yewlands Technology College
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Downs View Primary School
Portland School
St Stephen’s Church of England Primary School
St Wilfrid’s Catholic High School
The Queen Elizabeth’s (1561) Endowed School
This blogs attitude to TF is a bit strange, especially given there seems to be no contact with TF to confirm claims.
For example, your list of TF special measures schools is missing at least 2 that I know of in S Yorks.
Also, schools currently in special measures aren’t allowed to accept trainee teachers (under the argument that there aren’t enough ‘good’ staff to mentor them and provide good models of practice, and the schools aren’t in a position to adequately induct and support them). Whether or not that’s a legitimate barrier to accepting trainees, it’s one that exists and is beyond TF’s control.
Are you being serious?
How could someone with no experience of teaching to be able to teach in a school that is in special measures!? How can you expect a school whose management has been judged inadequate to train graduates who have had only 6 weeks of training!?
From experience I can tell you that Teach First only put their teachers into schools where 50% of the population come from the lowest quartile of the IDACI deprivation index – I found this out because our school was 44.5% and therefore not eligible. I find your assertion that they are disinterested in tackling educational disadvantage therefore very curious / ill informed.
And as for your expectation that unqualified teachers with 6 weeks training should work in schools in Special Measures? I can only assume that your background is outside of teaching or the education system.
For credibility purposes, I would recommend further research goes into subsequent blog posts.