Kentish Express Ashford & District
Inspectors downgrade school after complaint
The county’s largest secondary school has been judged as requiring improvement after a complaint triggered a visit by Ofsted.
Homewood School in Tenterden has been consistently rated as good but in the latest inspection the 2,025-pupil school was downgraded overall.
The education watchdog sent a five-strong team of inspectors to assess the mixed-ability secondary school last month with the report stating: “The inspection was carried out following a complaint made to Ofsted that raised “serious concerns”.
Inspectors indicated that a safeguarding concern had been raised along with “wholeschool issues”, but ruled that safeguarding at Homewood was effective, following their two-day evaluation of the Ashford Road school, noting that: “Staff have positive relationships with pupils and know them well” and that “pupils feel safe in the school”.
Homewood School has recently undergone a change of leadership as Jeremy Single replaced Sally Lees as principal at the start of the new term in
September.
Mrs Lees stepped up to become chief executive of the Tenterden Schools Trust that also incorporates Homewood’s onsite nursery, together with Tenterden infant and junior schools and St Michaels primary school.
Mr Single expressed disappointment that Homewood’s quality of education was judged as requiring improvement, which led to the drop in the school’s overall rating, but added it was “extremely pleasing that Ofsted recognised the school as ‘good’ in four of the five key areas scrutinised and judged”.
In the report, Homewood School retained its ‘good’ rating for behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, as well as sixth-form provision, but this was set against some concerns.
Leaders’ commitment to ensuring that pupils achieve was noted, but inspectors judged “there have not been consistently high expectations for all”, limiting the achievements of some pupils.
There was also criticism of curriculum-planning, which was considered poorly- sequenced in some subjects, affecting pupils’ ability to retain knowledge and lowering potential GCSE scores in those areas, leading inspectors to conclude: “The school does not provide a consistently high-quality education.”
But teachers were described as being aware of the weaknesses and generally possessing “strong subject expertise”, while Mr Single was said to be bringing “greater urgency” to driving up standards.
There was also praise for well- ordered teaching in maths, English and business studies, among a number of subjects, where high achievements were noted.
A lack of planning in lessons for children with special needs affected ability to “achieve well across the curriculum”, although pastoral care was good.
Mr Single said work was under way to improve the organisation of the curriculum and strengthen special educational needs teaching.
Pupils’ good behaviour and the calm atmosphere of lessons was praised by inspectors and bullying was described as “rare” at Homewood, despite the concerns of some pupils, while attendance had also improved due to the hard work of staff.
There was strong teaching in evidence at Homewood’s sixth form, while the school’s leadership was also good, with inspectors praising leaders for their determination to ensure that pupils reached their potential and for acting with integrity.
Ofsted received 253 pupil responses to its questionnaire about Homewood, together with the views of 163 members of staff and 114 parents prior to the inspection that took place on 24-25 September.
The report comes as Homewood was named as a beacon of effective and inclusion education practice by the author of Just Great Teaching, Ross Morrison McGill, one of only 10 in the country to be included in the book written by the TeacherToolkit founder.
‘Working together, we will continue to reflect honestly, evaluate constructively and move forward with confidence...’ - Jeremy Single