Secondary school with poor rating in ‘special measures’

‘INADEQUATE’ GRADE DUE TO DECLINE IN PUPILS’ RESULTS

A SECONDARY school in Wallsend has been given an inadequate Ofsted rating due to the historical decline in pupil results in the years prior to the pandemic, and further decline in 2022 and 2023.

This judgement means that Churchill Community College is now in a category of Special Measures, and will now look to begin the process of academisation.

This process will enable the school to access additional support and funding in order to make positive progress under a new leadership team.

The school was inspected in January, with a number of areas highlighted that are in need of improvement. These focus specifically around continuing to reduce lowlevel disruption, increasing student attendance and improving the consistency of teaching across the curriculum, so that students can reach their potential.

Staff at Churchill Community College have already started addressing this, with two new Deputy Headteachers joining in September.

As well as this, staff are reviewing and evaluating the current curriculum along with the school’s support plans for students with SEND, and a Reading Intervention Lead is starting immediately after

Churchill Community College in North Tyneside

Easter, to support students at the early stages of reading.

In a letter to parents and carers, Paul Johnson, the Headteacher at Churchill Community College, said: “As part of our wider school community, you will be aware that we have faced a number of challenges over the last few years, not least the pandemic and its aftereffects.

“These challenges have meant that all the improvements we have recently made have not impacted on our published results – yet.

“We are confident that these improvements, which Ofsted have acknowledged and recognised,

will impact on a number of things, including outcomes, but change takes time and patience and we are committed to staying on this journey.

“We would like to thank everyone in our school community for their hard work and support during the inspection process and in the challenges that have followed.

“Governors and school leaders are extremely proud of our school and are eager to meet the challenges ahead. We are all committed to ensuring we are constantly striving to offer the best education, wellbeing and outcomes for our children every day.”