Schools failing to make the grade

The number of pupils attending a good or better high school in Rochdale has decreased.

The figure of 67 per cent, for the percentage of pupils at a secondary judged as good or outstanding by Ofsted in a new table, is a significant drop from 82 per cent last year.

The percentage of pupils attending a good or outstanding primary school in Rochdale has also dropped slightly from 74 per cent in 2011 to 72 per cent.

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.