Leicester primary school told it is 'inadequate'
A primary school has been told it is "inadequate" and needs to improve teaching, pupils' achievements and exam results.
Heatherbrook Primary's latest Ofsted report means the school will now be under increased pressure to become one of the Government's new-style academies.
Inspectors, who visited the 188-pupil school in Beaumont Leys, Leicester, said standards in reading, writing and maths had fallen in recent years, the majority of teaching was not good enough and bad behaviour was not always managed well.
Head teacher Lee Venning, said: "Our results have dipped below the national average, but we do not expect this year's results to be below the Government's benchmark.
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"We expect them to be higher.
"We're working to address some of the weaknesses highlighted in the report and have an action plan in place.
"There were many positives to come out of the report, including strengths in leadership and governance. It also said results had improved in the early years foundation stage."
The school's Sats results this summer and the year before were below the Government's threshold of 60 per cent or more for children reaching the appropriate level for their age in English and maths. However, the report said improvements were beginning to show in key areas of the school's work, including better progress by pupils in years five and six.
Inspectors said the head teacher and deputy head retained too much responsibility and this limited the contribution made by other staff in tackling the school's weaknesses.
However, they added, leaders and managers, were "demonstrating the capacity to tackle the school's weaknesses and raise standards".
They praised the school's themed curriculum. Although the school has been told it has serious weaknesses, it has not been placed in special measures – the lowest rating.
This is because, although achievement among pupils is low, leadership and management are not a serious issue.
The school's last full inspection took place in 2009, when it was judged satisfactory.
Last week, education secretary, Michael Gove, wrote to the city's MPs to request their support in turning Leicester's under-performing primary schools into academies.
Mr Venning would not comment on whether Heatherbrook Primary would consider the move.
Academies are semi-independent state schools, which receive funding directly and have more powers over areas such as the curriculum.
Councillor Vi Dempster, assistant city mayor for schools, said: "I do not see that academy status would be of any lasting benefit. We are as focused on raising standards for all our children across the city."
Comments
by Bob491
Tuesday, October 30 2012, 8:12PM
“Quite to the contrary, it is this Con government which has failed the cities by drastically reducing their grants at such short notice.”
by Bomberbabe
Tuesday, October 30 2012, 2:36PM
“There is no evidence that schools forced to become academies improve standards at a faster rate, the push on the part of government is all part of the conservative view that 'private ' is better . The key to success is supporting staff and governors effectively to offer a good standard of education , Bob is right working across schools is a key part of this support . I fear though that with all these cuts in services it's the children who will suffer , less support in pre school , less support for families , less after school care for some children is a recipe for disaster. Teachers are at the front line doing their best its the local authority who often fails .”
by Peter20101
Tuesday, October 30 2012, 1:19PM
“I am not sure I understand this approach to force underperforming schools to be privately owned outside of local or national government.
As surely this means that they dont have to teach the national curiculum (NC) or have any support from the local council - when surely it is performing to the NC that is part of the measurement that Ofsted are monitoring with the school
The only thing I can see is that this makes the state schools managed by local government are all well achieving, whilst they have no desire to support and help those who genuinly need the help”
by Bob491
Tuesday, October 30 2012, 11:27AM
“I agree with CGLee.
One part of the answer is to work together with other similar schools and with the local authority. They can learn and improve from each other's experiences.
It would be disastrous if the school was compulsorily opted out of the local authority by the Con government to work in isolation on its own.”
by CGLee
Tuesday, October 30 2012, 10:44AM
“Yet another "failing" school set in a location where some of its pupils are likely to be challenging and disruptive.
I feel so sorry for the teaching staff and management of such schools, who really are on a hiding to nothing. If pupils don't want to learn and parents don't care, what chance have teachers got to encourage their charges to behave and buckle down to their studies?
I also feel sorry for those children who do want to learn as they have little chance to do so in such an environment.
There is little point in imposing sanctions on schools in such a situation and even less point in closing them down as in the case of Holmfield Avenue Primary School. I don't know what the answer is but treating teachers in schools in difficult locations as somehow inferior and destroying their morale will achieve nothing. I admire them for choosing to work in such challenging posts. I know I couldn't do it. They should be encouraged and not made to feel inadequate.”