Ofsted slams school that was outstanding
SECONDARY PUT IN SPECIAL MEASURES BY INSPECTORS – BUT CHAIR OF GOVERNORS SAYS REPORT IS ‘EXTREMELY HARSH’
PUPILS studying maths at a once highly-regarded secondary school make some of the ‘worst progress in the country,’ a damning Ofsted report has revealed.
Disabled youngsters and children with special educational needs at St Monica’s RC High School in Prestwich were also ‘illegally excluded,’ inspectors found.
The education watchdog has now put the school – rated ‘outstanding’ at its previous three inspections – into special measures after discovering a string of failings. Inspectors also found:
The school is ‘failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education’;
Progress made by disabled and SEN pupils is ‘inadequate’;
‘Uninspired’ lessons mean pupils do not have a ‘love of learning,’ with boys in particular making ‘poor progress’ because they are ‘bored’;
The quality of teaching has ‘declined significantly’;
Boys ‘underachieved dramatically right across the school.’
But in a letter to parents, headteacher AnneMarie Hainsworth and chair of governors, Paul Singleton, write they are ‘disappointed’ with the ‘extremely harsh’ report, which is not a ‘balanced or entirely fair reflection’ of the school.
The unannounced inspection was carried out after a number of ‘serious concerns’ were raised with Ofsted.
St Monica’s, which in 2010 became the first school in the country to block a project to vaccinate girls against cervical cancer because governors feared the jab ‘encouraged sexual promiscuity,’ now has two years to turn things around.
Inspectors found in 2016 and 2017 pupils made ‘some of the worst progress in mathematics seen across the whole country.’
Current pupils are said to be ‘faring no better.’ Ofsted also raised concerns about the number of exclusions, writing: “Since the previous inspection leaders and governors have illegally excluded pupils, including pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, from school.
“Leaders placed pupils in a local library on enforced study leave, excluding them from lessons. This practice has now ceased.”
Governors were also criticised for their ‘inaccurate view of the quality of education.’ The report said: “Leaders and governors believe the school provides an acceptable standard of education. It does not.
“Too many pupils underachieve in relation to their starting points because of low expectations and aspirations, which led to inadequate teaching.” Disadvantaged pupils were also found to be underachieving in several subjects, particularly maths, and the school was criticised for using funding to help them improve to ‘prop up’ the staffing budget.
But the school, which has 1,135 pupils, was also praised for making pupils feel safe, bullying was found to Ofsted report be ‘very rare,’ girls made good progress in English and pupils were doing well in music, PE, humanities and foreign languages.
Mrs Hainsworth, who was promoted from her previous role as deputy head in October, was also said to ‘recognise the issues facing the school’ and senior leaders were praised for taking ‘effective action’ to improve behaviour.
In a statement the school said governors were considering lodging a complaint about the inspection.
But the statement adds: “Governors are fully aware that the outcome of the inspection will be a shock to our parents and will be extremely disappointing for all the children and families that we serve.
“Our focus should be on putting matters right and rebuilding their confidence in St Monica’s. As a collective team, the teachers, senior leaders and governors are determined to ensure St Monica’s recovers from our current position by putting the welfare and education of our pupils at the heart of everything we do.”
Mr Singleton said: “We have misgivings about the lack of balance in the report and the very negative tone of much of the language used.
“Many of the issues which need to be tackled had already been identified and discussed as part of the headteacher appointment process last October.”
Parents are invited to a drop-in session at the school on Thursday evening where staff and governors be on hand to answer questions.