School’s ‘disappointment’ at ‘requires improvement’ inspection rating

Stowupland High School. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN

In its first inspection since converting to an academy in 2016, Stowupland High School was told by Ofsted that it needed to make a number of changes to managing pupils’ behaviour and boosting children’s progress.

Before becoming an academy, school had previously been rated as “good” - one grade higher than its current rating - in 2015.

A statement released by the school said: “We understand and share the disappointment of all members of the school community that Stowupland has not been able to retain its ‘good’ rating from 2015.”

However the statement added that it believes leadership capacity in all areas of the school to be strong, promising to give “utmost attention” to the areas of improvement identified by Ofsted.

The report said previous “changes in leadership and staffing have led to some instability”.

Inspectors did recognise strengths in the school’s approach, such as its changes to the curriculum in the past three years.

It also praised staff’s approach to safeguarding and their strong teaching programmes, which include an enrichment programme.

However it said that the management of pupils’ behaviour requires improvement, adding: “The behaviour of a minority of pupils is not always managed well enough.”

Inspectors also said pupils have not made good enough progress in the past academic year.

Even though the school’s overall progress improved in 2018, Ofsted said weaknesses in certain subjects have not been addressed.

Ofsted also raised concerns about pupils’ personal development, saying that “raising expectations” and “providing further training and support” to staff would help.

The school has also sent information sent to parents and carers of students and has pledged to keep them updated about the improvements being made at the school.