Education secretary announces plans to boost struggling schools

The education secretary has announced her plans for the future of schools in the UK in a speech at the Centre for Social Justice. Bridget Phillipson announced new plans to revamp forgotten schools through proposals for a schools accountability system that aims to help bring these schools back up to standard.

In England, there are currently more than 600 schools that have received consecutive “poor” ratings from Ofsted, and which are attended by more than 300,00 children. Those attending these schools leave primary schools with results 14 percentage points worse on average and secondary school with results a grade per subject worse on average.

The education secretary’s new initiative to give these flagging schools a boost while be spearheaded by an initial £20 million investment in new regional improvement teams, known as RISE teams. These teams will draw up improvement plans with schools, with the government setting up to £100,000 aside for each school to receive initial support. This is a huge increase from the previously available £6,000 grant.

In her speech given yesterday (3rd February 2025), education secretary Bridget Philliipson said: “Stuck schools are the new front in the fight against low expectations.

“I will not accept a system that is content for some to sink, even while others soar.

“The opportunity to succeed must be the right of every child.

“We simply can’t allow stuck schools to disappear off the radar.”

Although the RISE teams will start with prioritising stuck schools, the proposals they draw up will also engage with schools that have low levels of pupil attainment, especially those who are experiencing steep declines. These teams will work across alls schools to provide a universal service, bringing schools together to collaborate and share knowledge. 

Alongside these new measures, the government aims to continue to use structural intervention where Ofsted recommends, such as connecting to an academy or moving to a stronger trust. Alongside proposed closer monitoring of schools with the most serious problems, this should help to improve a school quickly and effectively, and not letting any serious concerns fall under the radar.

The government has estimated that the number of schools that receive mandatory intervention — both structurally and using RISE teams — to have doubled from the year before, in a move to ensure all children have the best start to life through quality education. 

Leora Cruddas, chief executive of the Confederation of School Trust, said: “There is a lot to be proud of about our school system in England. We are a good school system on a journey to great.

“This is because we have built on the evidence of what works — thirty years of curriculum development, teacher development, accountability, structural reform, and innovation. But the school system does not work for all children: the gap between economically disadvantaged pupils and their peers has widened; the system does not serve children with SEND well; and not enough of our children feel like they belong in our schools. Some of our schools are not on a secure improvement trajectory.

“If we are to build a great school system, then we must design it so that all our children achieve and thrive. We are committed to working with government to design a system that is built on excellence, equity, and inclusion.”