School where feral pupils f ling food... at Ofsted inspectors

‘One of the worst reports’

A SCHOOL has been placed in special measures after pupils threw food at inspectors.

The Ofsted team were pushed in corridors and bombarded in the canteen of Willenhall E-ACT Academy in Walsall.

Inspectors also noted that 70 per cent of teachers left the West Midlands school in a single academic year, while a third of staff questioned felt the children were not safe.

Their damning assessment, published on Thursday, has been described as ‘one of the worst’ Ofsted reports ever seen by experts.

The 1,400-pupil school – which was given 24 hours notice of the inspection in March – was ranked inadequate in all five categories of leadership, teaching, behaviour, pupil outcomes and 1619 studies. It had been deemed ‘requiring improvement’ in 2015.

Ofsted’s final report said: ‘Inspectors had food thrown at them in the can- teen and in a classroom. Inspectors were jostled in corridors and witnessed staff being ignored. A leader was spoken to disrespectfully and told inspectors this was the norm.’

It added that lessons were frequently interrupted by pupils, and said: ‘Over a third of pupils in Years 7 to 11 are persistently absent. Poor behaviour leads to many pupils feeling unsafe.’

Yesterday, a former Ofsted inspector said he had never come across behaviour at the level experienced in Willenhall.

Chris McGovern, now chairman of the Campaign For Real Education, added: ‘This is one of the worst Ofsted reports I have come across, but it shouldn’t come as a shock. There are real problems with discipline in many schools.’ Parents collecting children from the school yesterday agreed with Ofsted’s assessment.

Roy Toon, 72, was waiting for his 13-year-old granddaughter. He said: ‘There are problems. I live near the school and I’ve had windows put through by kids.’

Dan Gosling, a 41-year- old father, said: ‘My son came home one day and told me there was a gang taking Stanley knives to school and fighting. I’m just appalled by what has gone on.’ Discussing the staff, inspectors wrote: ‘During 2015 and 2016, 70 per cent of teachers left.

‘This high turnover has greatly hampered what leaders have been able to accomplish.’

It added that there were some positive elements of school life such as vocational teaching. But Ofsted said the academy should be put into special measures – allowing it to conduct more frequent ‘monitoring’ inspections.

The school became part of the E-ACT academy trust – which manages 24 state-funded academies – in 2012. An E-ACT spokesman said: ‘We are disappointed by Ofsted’s decision. However, under the leadership of Kirsty Jones as headteacher, we are confident that Willenhall will make rapid progress.’

Asked if standards at the school were among the worst ever seen, an Ofsted spokesman said they did not comment on individual inspections.