‘Inadequate’ school faces funding cut as pupils say they feel unsafe
A WEST London school faces having its funds terminated after an Ofsted inspection branded it inadequate with inspectors highlighting “aggressiveness”, pupils feeling “unsafe” and “dangerous behaviour”.
Dame Kate Dethridge, the Regional Schools Commissioner for North West London and South Central, wrote to the members and trustees of Orchard Hill College Academy Trust, based in Sutton, advising the organisation of her concerns surrounding The Young People’s Academy in Yiewsley, Hillingdon.
The warning comes after an Ofsted inspection in December when The Young People’s Academy’s previous rating of good dropped to inadequate.
The reports said the leaders of the Hillingdon school for 11 to 16-year-old pupils were not making sure that it was is a “safe, orderly and pleasant place for pupils to learn and develop” which stands in the way of pupils achieving.
According to the letter, which was sent to the academy trust on March 11, funding can be stopped by the Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi where “special measures are required to be taken by the academy or the academy requires significant improvement”.
Orchard Hill College Academy Trust runs a number of schools across London, Sussex and Surrey including the Nightingale Community Academy in Tooting.
In Dame Detheridge’s letter to the trust, she highlighted several areas that were of concern in the Ofsted report published on February 11, these included: 1. “All pupils have significant social and emotional needs. Despite this, leaders do not make sure that the premises are maintained well and that graffiti and litter are removed promptly.
“Leaders should urgently ensure that the premises are improved and better managed, so these support rather than detract from pupils’ personal development and well-being.” 2. “There are too many instances of unacceptable behaviour among pupils. Some pupils do not feel safe, and staff have come to believe that they should expect to experience this type of behaviour from pupils.
“Leaders should urgently ensure that the implementation of the behaviour policy leads to a prompt and sharp reduction in unacceptable and dangerous pupil behaviour.” 3. “Some pupils abscond from school, leaving them at risk. This can involve them using physical force to break through locks. Other pupils witness unacceptable, aggressive behaviour.
“Leaders should urgently tackle these concerns so that pupils stay safe within secure areas of the school and comply with the agreed school policies.”
The regional schools commissioner signalled that she must be “satisfied” that the trust has capacity to deliver “rapid and sustainable improvement” at The Young People’s Academy.
She wrote: “If I am not satisfied that this can be achieved, I will consider whether to terminate the funding agreement in order to transfer the Academy to an alternative academy trust.”
The trust was invited to provide plans to “strengthen leadership and governance oversight” and information on what action is being taken to support improvement at the academy.