Children from disadvantaged backgrounds studying at Leeds Co-op Academies perform above the national average, figures reveal.
According to the Department of Education’s performance measures for Key Stage 2 in 2018, Co-op Academies Brownhill, Oakwood and Woodlands have the highest percentage of disadvantaged children in the country – 72%, compared with a national average of 27%.
But by the time they leave aged 11, their performance is rated above average in writing and maths, and average in reading, which is significantly better than the national picture.
The data released by the DfE also confirms that pupils at the three Co-op Academies in Leeds are making more progress than disadvantaged children at the other 249 Multi Academy Trusts covered by analysis.
In writing, the average national progress score for disadvantaged pupils is +0.15 compared to +2.0 at the three Co-op Academies. In mathematics, the national figure is -0.23 while the Co-op scores +1.0 and in reading the Leeds schools achieved +0.5 in contrast to the national average for disadvantaged pupils of -0.38.
Frank Norris, director of the Co-op Academies Trust, said: “The difference in these numbers is very significant. They show that our academies in Leeds are improving the life chances of children from disadvantaged backgrounds by carefully focused teaching within a well-organised structure.
“These results underline what we already knew but there is still far more to be done, especially in reading but it shows that the potential of these young people can be unlocked.
“Our ambition is to support communities that have some of the greatest educational challenges and need additional help to support their young people.
“The effect of a good school that was previously failing or weak is immense in regenerating communities and we have established a great track record of turning around schools, which were previously struggling.”
