Three in four academy chains have coasting schools, Sutton Trust finds

However, the best chains continue to 'transform' pupils’ life chances

Chain Effects 2015, a new report from The Sutton Trust published this week, has found that three quarters of the chains analysed could be seen as ‘coasting’ under the governments guidelines. Putting its criticisms of ‘coasting’ schools and its insistence on the value of academies at odds.

The research, which compared the performance of disadvantaged students (those entitled to the pupil premium) in sponsored academies in 34 chains, does show that the best chains are having a ‘transformative’ effect on pupils’ lives.

However, the report found that last year 44 per cent of the academies analysed were below the government’s new ‘coasting’ level, and that 26 of the chains had at least one coasting school.

The Sutton Trust is urging the Government to include a measure of attainment for disadvantaged pupils in its new criteria for coasting schools.