THE government has squandered hundreds of millions of pounds on initiatives at many of the country’s worst performing schools, according to a new report.

Teachers have been inundated with costly schemes, from leadership seminars and school federations to extra end-of-year tests for English and maths.

The report, by Manchester University’s Centre for Formative Assessment Studies, concludes that most of the schemes have so far made little difference to pupils’ reading and writing skills.

It says 13 out of 15 initiatives, costing more than £2 billion, had no impact on literacy and numeracy standards. Those who took extra end-of-year tests achieved worse results.

When Tony Blair came to power, he created “action zones” enabling groups of schools to claim up to £1m in extra funding to improve standards. The scheme was replaced by the £1.7 billion Excellence in Cities projects for the worst performing schools in urban areas.

The research, which assessed key stage 3 tests in 2004 and 2005 from 375 secondary schools, found the scheme had no significant impact on the literacy and maths test results. The government says it is an “indisputable” success when GCSE examination results are taken into account.

In Newcastle upon Tyne, results for key stage 3 tests, taken by 13 and 14-year-olds, improved by only 1% between 2003 and 2006, compared with a national average of 6.7%. But GCSE results have improved significantly.

The Leadership Incentive Grant handed £575m to schools over three years to help to develop management skills. The researchers found it had no positive impact on results.

Mo Laycock, head of Firth Park Community Arts College in Sheffield, said it spawned too many extra staff meetings. “The meetings [with other heads] were every half term, but then there were other strands involving assistant heads, deputy heads and heads of faculties,” she said.

The £170m National Secondary Strategy, introduced between 2001 and 2004, was intended to improve key stage 3 results. But last August 40% of pupils were still failing to achieve basic levels in English, maths and science.

The only scheme linked with improved test results was the programme for schools to develop excellence in one subject.

Matthew Elliott, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “If ministers stopped micromanaging and stuck to setting high-level policy, public services would greatly improve and taxpayers would be better off.”

The Department for Children, Schools and Families said: “No one initiative works in isolation. It is a range of programmes that impact on standards in our schools.”

Additional reporting: Helen Brooks

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