Middlesbrough Council improves school support, says Ofsted

The gap between children from poorer and wealthier backgrounds in Middlesbrough primary schools is narrowing, according to Ofsted.

Their new report has praised schools and the local authority for solid progress over the last 15 months but say an improvement in maths is required.

Nick Hudson, Ofsted Director for North East, Yorkshire and Humber, said: “More than a year ago, Ofsted found that school improvement support in Middlesbrough was ineffective.

"I am really pleased that things have got much better since then.

“After the Ofsted report early last year Middlesbrough Council made school improvement a priority.

"Councillors, senior local authority officials, headteachers and other school leaders have worked well together.

“Their results are impressive. Pupils are on the whole doing better at primary school while improvement rates in the city’s secondary schools are greater than the national average, for poorer pupils as well as their wealthier peers.

"That is what parents and pupils want and deserve.”