Schools make the grade

THE number of pupils attending a good or better high school in Oldham has increased by more than half.

The borough is in the top 15 per cent of local authorities for the percentage of pupils at a secondary judged as good or outstanding by Ofsted in a new table.

Its figure of 86 per cent is a significant jump from 56 per cent three years ago, and is the 22nd highest of 150 local authorities.

The percentage of pupils attending a good or outstanding primary school in Oldham has dropped slightly from 74 per cent in 2009 to 72 per cent, placing the borough 56th in England.

In his first annual report, Ofsted chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw said that an extra 500,000 pupils were now being in taught in good or better schools. But almost 2.3 million children are still attending a “small minority” of schools which are less than good.

“While some of these schools are inadequate, most are not. They are just not good enough,” he says.

The North-West is to get a new Ofsted regional director to improve standards.

The post is one of eight being created across the country