In Birmingham City Council's application for an Interim Executive Board, dated 2nd November 2009, it states that Queensbridge was being considered as a partner (page 4 of 12) in the proposed National Challenge (NC) Trust.
This is despite Queensbridge's poor 2009 GCSE results for five GCSEs A*-C including English and Maths.
National Challenge Trust Schools are intended for schools where fewer than 30% of students are achieving 5 A*-C’s at GSCE including English and Maths and it is agreed that its replacement with an Academy is not an option. However, Moseley achieved 33% in 2009 and is predicted to achieve 40% in 2010. So why is Moseley School being considered for Trust status? Is it a way of keeping Tim Boyes and Queensbridge School involved in the future of Moseley School?
Despite numerous initiatives and reforms by successive governments (Education Reform Act 1988, Education, Education, Education) over many decades, to drive up standards in secondary schools such as:
- Creation of School Governing Bodies with parent and community representation
- Creation of OFSTED
- School league tables
- Foundation grant maintained schools
- Specialist status
- School Improvement Partner Programme
- National Challenge Programe and
- A culture of excuses such as English As an Additional Language (EAL), deprivation, Free School Meals (FSM), dry rot at home, etc
Birmingham City Council has come up with a cunning plan to 'drive up standards' with the creation of the untried and untested National Challenge Trust School model.
Castle Vale School, Four Dwellings High School in Quinton and Frankley Community High School have already started the statutory consultation process to become National Challenge Trust Schools. Without undertaking the formal consultation process and seeking the agreement and consent of various stakeholders including parents, these National Challenge schools cannot become Trust Schools. Birmingham City University is expected to be the lead partner for Caslte Vale School and Frankley Community High School.
Kingsbury School and Sports College in Erdington is also expected to form a National Challenge Trust School with Birmingham Metropolitan College as the lead partner.
Over the last three years (2007, 2008 and 2009), the average pass rate for five GCSEs at A*-C including English and Maths for Frankley has been 16%, Castle Vale 21%, Four Dwellings 23% and Kingsbury 24%. None of the consultation documents mention these results, nor the position of the respective schools in the school league tables, nor do they provide an explanation to parents for their respective positions.
Oddly, Birmingham City Council has no plans to create a National Challenge Trust for Kings Norton High School notwithstanding its average pass rate over the last three years has been the same as Frankley i.e. 16%. Kings Norton High School is at the bottom of the league table. Why Kings Norton High School should escape a structural solution to drive up attainment should raise eyebrows.
