SCHOOLS in the region accused by Government inspectors of coasting have been identified.

Analysis of Ofsted data shows there are 47 schools in the North- East and North Yorkshire which have been judged satisfactory twice in a row and are considered to have no better than satisfactory capacity to improve.

According to Ofsted, these schools are among 800 in the country which are coasting and need to raise their standards.

The criticism contained in the education watchdog’s annual report comes a week after the Prime Minister launched his own attack on coasting schools, especially, he pointed out, those in middle class areas which drift along and fail to push pupils to their full potential.

Mr Cameron warned that these schools would be named and shamed in league tables.

The schools in the region classified as coasting are predominately primary schools, but also include a mixture of nursery, secondary and special schools.

They include Richmond Church of England Primary School, in Richmond, North Yorkshire.

However, headteacher Di Robinson denied the school was coasting, saying that all staff were striving to build a good school.

She said that she believes it is actually good and outstanding schools which are more likely to be resting on their laurels.

She said: “As a satisfactory school we are hammered from all directions, but good and outstanding schools are not being watched and are out of the spotlight.”

Vince Allen, National Union of Teachers northern principal officer, accused the Government of hijacking the word satisfactory and giving it a different definition to that in the dictionary.

He said: “Schools are under tremendous pressures that are brought about by the constantly changing and evolving curriculum which requires them not only to review what they teach but how they teach it – in that situation you cannot coast.”

Commenting on coasting schools this week, Schools Minister Nick Gibb said that too many underperforming schools were making painfully slow improvements.

He said: “It is a real concern that some schools with very able intakes are merely coasting instead of making sure students achieve their full potential.”

The list of coasting schools only includes schools which received an Ofsted inspection during the past year.

'Coasting' schools in the region

COUNTY DURHAM
Seascape Primary, Peterlee
St Mary Magdalen’s RC Primary, Seaham
Coundon Primary
Montalbo Primary, Barnard Castle
Rosa Street Primary, Spennymoor
St Mary’s RC Primary, Newton Aycliffe

HARTLEPOOL
Golden Flatts Primary
St Helen’s Primary
Owton Manor Primary
Rossmere Primary

Redcar & CLEVELAND
Handale Primary, Loftus
Green Gates Primary, Redcar
Overfields Primary, Redcar
Nunthorpe School

STOCKTON
Hardwick Green Primary
Overfields Primary
Bader Primary, Thornaby
Westlands School, Thornaby

NORTH YORKSHIRE
Richmond CofE Primary
Mill Hill Community Primary, Northallerton

SUNDERLAND
St Cuthbert’s RC Primary
Shiney Row Primary,
Houghton-le-Spring
Oxclose Village Primary, Washington

SOUTH TYNESIDE
St Joseph’s RC Primary, Jarrow
Helen Gibson Nursery School, Boldon

GATESHEAD
Rowlands Gill Community Primary
Sacred Heart RC Primary, Burnopfield