GCSE success rates in inner cities are well below average

The schools watchdog Ofsted found performances in maths and English had improved a little better than the national rate.

But pupils were half as likely as elsewhere to leave with five good GCSEs and did worse in tests at age 14.

However, the Excellence in Cities (EiC) and Education Action Zone (EAZ) schemes have cut exclusions and improved attendance in some schools.

'Disappointing progress'

Report author, the Chief Inspector of Schools in England, David Bell, said: "Overall, both programmes are making a positive impact in schools in disadvantaged areas, but not comprehensively and consistently so.

"There is no room for complacency. There are rapid improvements in some schools but this is offset by the disappointing progress, or even decline, of others."

The EAZ and EiC schemes have cost �800m and the funding for 2003-4 is �350m.

Under EiC, children are provided with "mentors" to help guide their personal and academic progress.

Restoring discipline and giving head teachers genuine power to run their schools would do much more for inner-city children than these failing initiatives Damian Green, shadow education secretary

Extra tuition is provided for the brightest, and special units for disruptive pupils.

The action zones created partnerships between schools, councils and businesses, aimed at coming up with new ideas.

Mr Bell said: "I am pleased to report that these programmes are providing pupils with a broader range of opportunities and helping to raise aspirations, confidence and self-esteem of young people in the most disadvantaged areas.

"However, more needs to be done to ensure that they help consistently to raise attainment across the board."

Shadow education secretary Damian Green said: "This report highlights yet another expensive failure of one of the government's flagship programmes.

"Our most disadvantaged children, in some of the poorest areas of the country, are simply not being helped adequately by this government.

"Restoring discipline and giving head teachers genuine power to run their schools would do much more for inner-city children than these failing initiatives."

Fewer leaving unqualified

The report found that, within areas covered by the schemes, standards in English and maths at age 14 had risen faster than the national average from 1998 to 2002.

But English attainment was still 25% below the national average and maths 23% below.

At GCSE, 25% of inner-city 16 year olds gained five A* to C grades - achieving the target set by the government.

This, though, was still only around half the national average. However, fewer left without any GCSEs than before the initiatives started.

Attendance was 88% overall. This meant 120 out of 1,000 pupils were off on any given day.

'Good leadership'

The report says: "There is a strong correlation in schools between poor attendance and low achievement.

"When pupils feel they are not learning well and achieving success, they lose interest and vote with their feet."

It adds that both programmes had the greatest effect in schools "where leadership and management are very good".

Excellence in Cities was expanded to include primary schools in 2001.

The report found results in English and maths tests at age 11 had improved at above the national rate.

A Department for Education and Skills spokesman said: "Standards in Excellence in Cities areas have improved faster than elsewhere in the country.

"They are improving most in areas where they have been set up the longest.

"In inner London, Birmingham, Leeds and Liverpool, GCSE standards have improved at almost double the rate of the rest of the country.

"Excellence in Cities is having a real impact on all aspects, from behaviour to standards."

But Liberal Democrat education spokesman Paul Holmes said: "Working with education professionals for educational purposes, as in the Excellence in Cities programme, is effective.

"The scatter-gun approach to new initiatives which are not closely tied to school and pupil needs, such as the Education Action Zone programme, works less well.

"The government has often said that poverty is not an excuse for educational failure. This report shows that it is not an excuse but it certainly is a major obstacle to improvement.

"The problems of social disadvantage cannot be removed over night by gimmicks and targets."