Ofsted inspectors pelted with food by pupils at academy

AN academy has been placed into special measures by Ofsted – after inspectors were pelted with food by tearaway pupils.

Willenhall E-ACT Academy was ranked inadequate in every single area by inspectors who have published a scathing report that reveals nearly a third of pupils are persistently absent and more than two-thirds of teachers have left in the last two years.

The Furzebank Way school, which has 1,340 pupils, is “failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education”, according to the inspectors who ruled it was inadequate in its leadership, teaching, outcomes and personal development.

The report revealed “inspectors had food thrown at them in the canteen and in a classroom” and said they were also “jostled in corridors”.

It said: “Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary ment in the school.”

Inspectors listed a catalogue of failures and went on to say that pupils felt unsafe and that poor behaviour was both “deep-rooted and widespread”.

It said the school’s only strengths were that the sponsor recognised the challenges and vocational education was good for pupils aged over 16.

The report added: “Pupils feel unsafe. This is because, while some pupils are polite and their conduct is good, too many in Years 7 to 11 are rude and routinely defiant.”

An spokesman for the E-ACT (formerly the EduTrust Academies Charitable Trust), said: “Naturally, we are disappointed by Ofsted’s decision.

“However, under the strong leadership of Ms Kirsty Jones as the recently-appointed headteacher, and with the close support that we provide across all aspects of the academy, we are confident that Willenhall Academy will continue to make rapid progress so that we can offer the best possible education to our students.” improve-