London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

Council-maintained schools outperform academies in England, study shows

Council-maintained schools outperform academies in England, study shows

Analysis of Ofsted rankings comes as government set to outline plans for all schools to join multi-academy trusts
Council-maintained schools in England outperform academies in Ofsted rankings, according to analysis published on the day the government’s ambitions for all schools to join multi-academy trusts (Mats) are expected to be outlined in the Queen’s speech.

Research conducted on behalf of the Local Government Association (LGA) found 92% of council-maintained schools were ranked outstanding or good by Ofsted in January 2022, compared with 85% of academies that have been graded since they converted.

It also found only 45% of academies that were already an academy in August 2018 managed to improve standards from inadequate or requires improvement to good or outstanding, compared with 56% of council-maintained schools.

The findings are part of an ongoing dispute over the impact of taking schools out of local authority control and putting them into Mats, but will have added piquancy ahead of Tuesday’s Queen’s speech, in which the schools bill will be a centrepiece legislation.

The government has previously said it wants all schools in England to join or be in the process of joining a strong Mat by 2030, but many in the sector – including the National Education Union – have questioned the evidence for such a move. Currently 80% of secondary schools and 40% of primaries are academies.

According to LGA research, which looked at Ofsted ratings between August 2018 and January 2022, 81% of council-maintained schools retained their outstanding rating, compared with 72% of outstanding academies that did not inherit grades from their former maintained school status.

The education secretary, Nadhim Zahawi, said: “Our new schools bill, alongside the schools white paper, will create a school system that works for every child, parent and family, bringing every school up to our current best standards. We want every school to be part of an academy trust, enabling teachers to focus on what they do best – meeting the needs of every child.”

The bill will also strengthen the regulatory framework for academy trusts, with powers to intervene where they are failing. It will place a duty on local authorities to provide support to home schooling families, establish compulsory registers for children not in school and give Ofsted more powers to crack down on unregistered schools operating illegally.

The government’s schools white paper, published in March, attempted to sweeten the pill for councils, indicating they would for the first time be able to set up their own Mats. The LGA urged the government “to build on this and utilise the knowledge and expertise of councils in supporting schools to improve”.

Anntoinette Bramble, a councillor and chair of the LGA’s children and young people board, said: “While academisation can be a positive choice in some cases, these findings raise questions over whether a one-size-fits-all approach is a guaranteed way of improving results and strengthening a school’s performance.”

Kevin Courtney, a joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said: “Today’s research once again brings into question the government’s drive to force all schools to join a multi-academy trust. The government should concentrate on the real challenges schools face – recovery from the pandemic, inadequate funding, rising class sizes, and a teacher recruitment and retention crisis – but they have no answers for them.”

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “The evidence quoted by the Local Government Association fails to take into account many schools will join trusts to address historic underperformance, which can take a number of years, or more than one cycle of Ofsted inspections.

“Our data from over the past decade shows strong academy trusts can transform underperforming schools. More than seven out of 10 schools which became academies due to underperformance in inspections while they were local authority maintained schools now have a good or outstanding Ofsted rating.

“That is why we are opening new routes for schools to join a strong academy trust, including by working with local authorities to allow them to establish trusts for the first time.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
UK Deploys RAF Jets to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Two Skydivers Die in 'Tragic Accident' at Devon Airfield
Sainsbury's and Morrisons Accused of Displaying Prohibited Tobacco Ads
UK Launches National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Families Seek Closure After Air India Crash
Gold Emerges as Global Safe Haven Amid Uncertainty
Trump Reports $57 Million Earnings from Crypto Venture
Trump's Military Parade Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarianism
Nationwide 'No Kings' Protests Challenge Trump's Leadership
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
Germany Holds First Veterans Celebration Since WWII
U.S. Health Secretary Dismisses CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee
Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman and Husband Killed in Targeted Attack; Senator John Hoffman and Wife Injured
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
×