Michael Gove's academies announcement

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16/06/11

Two hundred underperforming primary schools are to become academies under new plans set out by the education secretary, Michael Gove.

More successful local schools will be tasked with running the academies as they move out of local authority control.

The "sponsored academy" programme is due to begin in September 2012 and is in addition to the 1,200 schools that have already applied for academy status.

The education secretary also plans to emphasise an improvement in the number of secondary school children gaining five good GCSEs.

Currently a school is only considered to be underperforming if fewer than 35% of pupils achieve five GCSEs at A* to C, but Mr Gove wishes to increase this threshold to 50%.

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Michael Gove's academies announcement

16/06/11

Michael Gove: Education debate must confront reality

NAHT: Academy status not a silver bullet

NASUWT: Schools bullied into becoming academies

Opinion Formers

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Pseudo facts? New London Assembly gets off to a rocky start

Beecroft stings 'socialist' Cable

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