1:00pm Monday 8th March 2010
By Chris Wickham
The quality of teaching at Whitton School has been described as “inadequate” by Government inspectors.
A team from Ofsted, the Government’s children’s inspectorate, visited the Percy Road school on November 30 and December 1 and published a report on Monday which gave a “notice to improve”.
Michael Pye, lead inspector, wrote in the report: “This school requires significant improvement because it is performing significantly less well than in all the circumstances it could reasonably be expected to perform.
“The school is therefore given a notice to improve.
“Significant improvement is required in students’ attainment, progress and overall achievement.
“Students’ attainment is low and student achievement is inadequate.
“Inconsistencies remain in the quality of teaching with some teaching that is inadequate.
“Consequently, many students make inadequate progress over time and, currently, are not all on course to meet their academic targets.”
Mr Pye did report the acting headteacher – Phillip Davies – and the senior management team had “worked tirelessly” to bring about improvements and standards were rising.
He added: “However, the rate and scope of improvement has not been sufficient to ensure that students make enough progress to compensate for past underachievement.”
The school is set to close in August and be replaced with an academy run by Swedish education firm Kunskapsskolan. Nick Jones will leave his post at Cabot Learning Federation in Bristol to run the new academy.
Mr Davies said: “All the staff have been working hard to make the improvements recommended and we are confident that the inspectors will agree that we have made good progress on the key priorities when they return in the summer term.”
A Richmond Council spokesman added the effectiveness of care, guidance and support at the school were rated as “good” by inspectors and they felt pupils contributed well to the wider community.
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