6 Effective structures for primary
schools
Impact
of academy status at KS1 and KS2
165. A far smaller proportion of primary schools
than secondary schools have converted to academy status, but the
number of schools involved is greater. Most of this growth has
been very recent: the DfE announced in 2012 that it would match
400 underperforming primary schools with sponsors, double the
number then already open. The NAO reports that the DfE overshot
this target to achieve a further 445 primary sponsored academies
by the end of 2013.[277]
166. Evidence on the effect of academisation on primary
schools is not yet available, although the DfE is strongly of
the view that the impact is beneficial. Officials told us that
looking at Ofsted inspection results for converter academies:
For primary schools, 33% of academies were more
likely to retain their outstanding judgment, as against 25% of
all local authority-maintained schools. For primary schools, 27%
of academies were more likely to go from good to outstanding,
as opposed to 12% of local authority schools. For those that were
satisfactory, 71% of primaries as academies had improved versus
58% of local authority schools.[278]
167. Lord Nash, the academies minister, has also
stated that primary converters achieve higher results for their
pupils: "in 2013-25% of their pupils were above the expected
standard at age 11 compared to 21% across all state-funded schools".[279]
For both these claims, it is important to remember that converters
are more likely to be strong, high-achieving schools and so start
from a firmer base than the average local authority school. We
have been unable to locate any evidence, either way, of a relationship
between primary academy status and raised attainment.
Suitability of the academy model
168. There is a widely-held view that the smaller
size of most primary schools and their greater reliance on local
authority support may make academy status more problematic for
them. Typical of evidence to us was that of the NAHT, which argued
that: "Primary schools are small organisations coping with
heavy workloads."[280]
While some primary schools have converted to stand-alone academies,
the requirements in terms of support staff, including business
managers to ensure value to money for services previously supplied
by the local authority and human resources, mean that the number
of primary academies adopting this model remains low.
169. The DfE accepts the validity of these concerns
and its favoured model for primary academies is a MAT or an umbrella
trust.[281] Despite
this, we heard some evidence that the particular challenges for
primary schools within the academy system are not sufficiently
recognised. Concerns ranged from the low levels of representation
of the primary sector on the new headteacher boards to fears that
cross-sector MATs could view their primary schools merely as feeders
for the more important secondary schools or, more broadly, might
lack knowledge of the primary sector and its importance in its
own right.[282] Forced
conversion of primary schools has triggered most of the high profile
protests against academisation such as at Downhills in Haringey,
Roke Primary School in Croydon or Cavell Primary School in Norwich.
The effect of collaborative partnerships
at primary level
170. A number of primary heads told us that, whilst
becoming an academy had improved their practice and their school,
this was primarily because of the advantages generated by the
collaborative framework of a multi-academy trust. Katie Beal,
Headteacher of Eastfield Primary School in Hull and member of
a MAT, explained:
We have made a faster rate of improvement because
of the collaborations we have made with the other schools in our
MAT—that ability for us to challenge each other and support
each other to improve even further in a way that we possibly could
not have done if we had not had those links that make us absolutely
responsible for each other's successes. We are accountable for
each other, and therefore it is imperative we support each other
to improve.[283]
171. There is a range of models of primary partnerships
in operation, not all of which involve academisation. Evidence
submitted to us regarding various locally-based partnership initiatives
indicates that primary collaboration can be effective in raising
standards. The model and structure of the partnership appears
to be less important than the level of commitment of heads and
teachers and the depth of collaboration. Wendy Marshall of the
David Ross Academy Trust told us:
joining with groups of like-minded schools, whether
in collaborative clusters or in multi-academy trusts, opens up
a number of benefits, not only financial benefits but educational
opportunities and economies of scale. Our smallest primary school
has 55 children; our largest has 600 children and, equally, our
smallest secondary is 150. So there are ways that smaller schools
can be presented with the same opportunities of working in groups,
clusters, collaborations or academy trusts.[284]
172. The DfE offers financial aid to primary schools
who convert to academy status. The Primary Chains Grant is a lump
sum available to groups of three schools (including at least one
primary) wishing to convert to academy status. In our report on
School partnerships and collaboration, we recommended
that the grant be made available to schools looking to collaborate
in other ways.[285]
Conclusions and recommendations
on primary schools
173. We have sought but not found convincing evidence
of the impact of academy status on attainment in primary schools.
We recommend that the DfE commission, as a matter of urgency,
research into the relationship between academy status and outcomes
at KS1 and KS2 so that sponsors and RSCs can be clear which models
and characteristics are most strongly correlated with improved
performance.
174. The primary sector benefits most from collaborative
structures, whether these are facilitated by academy status or
otherwise. We reiterate the recommendation in our report on school
partnerships and collaboration that the additional funding available
to schools through the Primary Chains Grant be extended to primary
schools forming maintained federations, as well as Multi Academy
Trusts. Such funding is particularly important to encourage collaboration
between small schools in rural areas.
277 NAO, Academies and maintained schools: Oversight
and intervention, HC (2014-15) 721, p30 Back
278
Q6 Back
279 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/300343/DfE_PA_Magazine_Guide_Final.pdf Back
280
National Association of Head Teachers (AFS0091) para 30 Back
281
Q8 Back
282
Eg. National Governors Association [AFS0133], Q1114 [Chris Keates],
Q1116 [Kevin Courtney] Back
283
Q694 Back
284
Q697 [Wendy Marshall] Back
285
Education Committee, Fourth Report of Session 2013-14, School Partnerships and Cooperation,
HC 269, rec 13 Back
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