Nursery World - EAZs enhance, not innovate, says Ofsted

* Education Action Zones (EAZs) have failed to be 'test-beds for genuinely innovative action', according to an Ofsted review published last week. Inspection of six of the longest established EAZs in England revealed too much variability in their effectiveness and impact on schools, despite energetic leadership and commitment, said Ofsted. But it was found that those in Blackburn, Halifax, Birmingham, Southwark, Salford and Weston-super-Mare, had a greater impact in primary schools than in secondary where, apart from some small-scale reduction in disaffection among pupils, there was no significant impact on standards.

Inspection of six of the longest established EAZs in England revealed too much variability in their effectiveness and impact on schools, despite energetic leadership and commitment, said Ofsted. But it was found that those in Blackburn, Halifax, Birmingham, Southwark, Salford and Weston-super-Mare, had a greater impact in primary schools than in secondary where, apart from some small-scale reduction in disaffection among pupils, there was no significant impact on standards.

Inspectors said the six zones had overcome early difficulties to make reasonable progress after two years of their five-year life.

The report said, 'Usually, they have offered programmes which enhance or intensify existing action such as that through the national strategies for literacy and numeracy.'

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